One Battle After Another
Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Chase Infiniti, Benicio Del Toro, Sean Penn
Directed by: Paul Thomas Anderson
One Battle After Another follows Bob (Leonardo DiCaprio) and Perfidia (Teyana Taylor), and their involvement in the revolutionary group the French 75. Several years after they have disbanded, Bob and his 16-year-old daughter Willa (Chase Infiniti) attempt to live a quiet life off the grid. They stay under the radar, until they get word that Steven Lockjaw (Sean Penn) a relentless military leader is after them for Bob’s involvement with the French 75. Can Bob and Willa evade Lockjaw?
To say that One Battle After Another is timely would be an understatement. The film is inherently political with messages of revolution, government corruption, and the importance of finding community. It is a bold film that sends a powerful message.
Paul Thomas Anderson is hit or miss for me as a director (controversial to say, I know). I think he mostly makes great movies (There Will Be Blood, Phantom Thread, The Master) but Licorice Pizza and Inherent Vice did not work for me. One Battle After Another is Anderson in top form. Although it clocks in at almost 3 hours, the plot does not drag. You are immediately immersed into the action and the world of the characters. The world building is very impressive. One particular sequence that stands out is a car chase that feels almost Hitchcockian as the movement of the road makes the audience feel like they are riding a roller coaster, unsure of the outcome along with the characters.
Leonardo DiCaprio is hilarious as Bob. DiCaprio excels when he balances comedy and drama, something he has been doing more of in recent years. Bob is a former revolutionary turned stoner alcoholic. When life didn’t go as he expected, he retreated into a life of smoking weed and watching old movies. However, his daughter’s safety is the one thing that actually matters to him. DiCaprio is hilarious as Bob bumbling around from one point to the next with the help of other characters. He can barely stay on his feet sometimes due to panic, but he keeps going for the sake of his daughter. Bob may not be the most competent but he has heart.
Chase Infiniti delivers an excellent turn as Willa. Willa wants to live a normal life separate from Bob’s paranoia. When Lockjaw comes searching, her life is completely upended. Infiniti holds her own with everyone in the cast in this performance.
Benicio del Toro is a major standout through the film as Sensei. While many characters in the film act as revolutionaries for the thrill of it, Sensei is doing the real work to enact change with no need for glory or attention. Del Toro gives an impactful performance always staying calm under pressure. He is the straight man opposite of DiCaprio’s constant meltdowns. He makes the most out of every single scene.
Sean Penn is basically the embodiment of pure evil in this movie. His character is so abhorrent. I’m wondering if Sean Penn has ever had a normal day of existence. Anyway, I see a lot of people praising his performance to the point of Oscar buzz but I just don’t feel that way. He plays a gross villain but it reaches almost cartoonish levels. Especially by the last act of the movie. In a film where Leonardo DiCaprio, Chase Infiniti, Benicio Del Toro, Teyana Taylor, and Regina Hall give such great performances, it feels weird to be praising Sean Penn the most.
Timely, intriguing, and funny; One Battle After Another is one of the year’s most memorable films.
My Rating: 9/10