🎬 #217 What We Can Learn From Characters /04/: Daniel Plainview.
The fourth instalment of this series - sees one of my favourite characters stepping forward in order to find out what we can take from his way of viewing / living life.
Please enjoy
Bry
Maybe not the most likeable character in cinema, he certainly does a lot of things that aren’t admirable, but he holds a special place in my view as someone who stands by their ‘plain view’ of the world so steadfastly. Or should I say, it’s admirable how uniform his persona is, in the sense that even though we know he will say and do things he doesn’t believe in to get what he wants, he is remarkably pure in that pursuit. We can bank on it.
So the good things we can draw from this are that he is true to himself. He is very much his own person. He is definitely not concerned with what others think - in terms of him being liked or disliked. Even though he crafts a persona to help get what he wants, the image of the father raising his son alone.
He is also diligent, determined beyond belief, and upfront. He calls out true cruelty when he talks about how the head of the Sunday family beats his daughter and doesn’t shy away from confrontation. He believes in what he believes in and is encouraging to those who are switched on - those he recognises as having a similar spirit or drive to him. People out there making it happen.
There is a lot to take from Plainview and a lot to leave behind too, but even in this bitter, misanthropic character, we can plumb great things.