“Paul Dano is just weak sauce man.”
This quote from esteemed film director Quentin Tarantino, said Dec. 2 on “The Bret Easton Ellis Podcast,” has prompted fans, performers, and filmmakers alike to pick sides between these two Hollywood heavy hitters.
These comments came while Tarantino was discussing his top 10 movies of the century, choosing Paul Thomas Anderson’s “There Will Be Blood” as his fifth favorite film since 2000. Tarantino remarked that the film probably would have been his first if not for Dano’s performance.
“Obviously, it’s supposed to be a two-hander, and it’s also so drastically obvious that it’s not a two-hander,” said Tarantino, who even went as far as to say Dano was “the worst actor in SAG,” a reference to the Screen Actors Guild.
A large number of fans and professionals alike all rushed to defend Dano after hearing these comments, citing his heartfelt and extremely driven performances in movies like “Little Miss Sunshine,” “Swiss Army Man,” and “Love and Mercy” as evidence of him being a great actor.
As a movie guy, I can’t hold my silence any longer. It’s time for me to speak my truth and give my take on the Paul Dano versus Quintion Tarantino beef.
Tarantino made a bad faith claim, and is 100% wrong with his takes on Dano and “There Will Be Blood.” However, I don’t think Tarantino lacks the credibility to be able to make a claim like this, which is what a lot of online discourse suggests. People who’ve come to criticize QG for his comments are quick to point a finger towards his own failed career as an actor, suggesting that since Quentin couldn’t make it in front of the camera himself, he’s got no room to talk.
But c’mon. The guy is a movie legend at the end of the day. Sure it’s easy to pick on the fact that he cast himself in his own movies, oftentimes to say the N-word or some other verbose and outlandish statement, but that’s low hanging fruit. Tarantino clearly knows not only what it takes to make a great movie, but also what great acting looks like, as he himself has gotten three Oscar-winning performances out of his actors.
That’s why it’s so shocking to me that he could be so wrong with his assessment of Paul Dano’s career. Anyone with eyes, a heart, and soul, will see and feel what an amazing actor Dano is. The quirky prince has turned in countless timeless performances throughout his long career, highlighting his intense range in acting abilities by taking on different roles time and time again, never afraid to switch it up and challenge himself.
There’s a beautiful juxtaposition in Dano’s work. He’s able to move audiences to tears in “Little Miss Sunshine” and yet doesn’t even speak a line until halfway through the movie. In “There Will be Blood,” he commands almost every scene he’s in by shouting his loud, verbose sermons and monologues. Watch these movies back to back and you’ll be amazed that these two performances come from the same guy.
Paul Dano came into Hollywood as an awkward outsider. He’s not drop dead gorgeous like Brad Pitt, he honestly doesn’t look like a movie star at all. He looks like he works in IT. He’s never been the flashiest guy in Hollywood, and most average movie goers might not even be able to match his name to his face. But this is all why he’s so beloved. Dano has used that awkwardness and turned it into charm, finding his footing as a beloved Hollywood oddball. He never says much, which makes him come across as likeable and humble. Not-talking is a skill Tarantino has never been able to master. The guy can’t shut up.
The thing is, Dano and Tarantino are, in fact, extremely similar. Tarantino is also a weird-looking, socially awkward white guy. But where Paul has found this to be his greatest advantage, Quentin views it as a weakness and an insecurity. QG is constantly talking in the press about how great his movies are, and how everyone else is bad. Hell, in the same interview he managed to also take shots at Martin Scorsese, Matthew Lillard, and Owen Wilson, adding them all to his long list of enemies in the industry.
It seems that Tarantino just has a hard time letting his work do the talking, which is a shame because he is so talented. Quentin has gotta understand that taking shots at Paul Dano isn’t going to make “Reservoir Dogs” any better. It’s not going to make anyone move “Kill Bill” up on their all-time favorites list. It’s just going to ruin his reputation.
And as far as Paul Dano: Keep shining, king. We all love you.
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