‘The Batman’ Director Matt Reeves Joins Chorus Defending Paul Dano After Quentin Tarantino Criticism
“The Batman” director Matt Reeves publicly defended actor Paul Dano Thursday following harsh criticism from filmmaker Quentin Tarantino, who labeled Dano a “weak sauce” and a “weak sister” while discussing the film “There Will Be Blood” on The Bret Easton Ellis Podcast. Reeves, who directed Dano in the 2022 film where he portrayed the villainous Riddler, voiced his support on social media.
The exchange highlights a growing debate within the film industry regarding performance critique and artistic value. TarantinoS comments, initially focused on his ranking of films, quickly turned into a personal attack on Dano’s acting ability, sparking a wave of support for the actor from fellow creatives. The incident underscores the often-polarized nature of artistic assessment and the impact of prominent voices like Tarantino’s on public perception.
Tarantino argued that Dano detracted from the two-hander dynamic in Paul Thomas Anderson‘s ”There Will Be Blood,” stating, “He is weak sauce, man. He is the weak sister… Daniel Day-Lewis shows that he doesn’t need a strong foil. The movie needs it. He doesn’t need anything.” He further questioned Dano’s presence, asking, “You put him with the the weakest fucking actor in SAG? The limpest dick in the world?”
The criticism quickly drew responses from industry figures. “The Batman” sequel screenwriter Mattson Tomlin defended Dano, praising him as “a terrific actor” and ”an astonishing director” and recommending his film “wildlife.” Actors Ben stiller and Alec Baldwin also voiced their support, with Stiller calling Dano “f-ing brilliant” and Baldwin stating, “I love Paul Dano. And if you don’t love Paul Dano, shhhhhh.”
