Introduction
Director Paul Thomas Anderson has nothing more to prove, but that doesn’t stop him from making another bona fide masterpiece. With One Battle After Another, he delivers a timely, frenetic, and hilarious ride filled with pitch-perfect performances and a little something for everyone.
Anderson has somehow crafted a film that can suit the needs of any adult. If you are looking for a comedy thriller, he has you covered. Looking for a movie with a deep thematic exploration of class, power, and legacy, he has figured that all out. What if you love Leonardo DiCaprio? This is for you. Do you hate Sean Penn? Do you love Sean Penn? Either way, this is your film.
Synopsis
DiCaprio stars as Bob Ferguson, a member of the militant revolutionary group The French 75. Alongside his wife, Perfidia (Teyana Taylor), he engages in raids, bombings, and robberies as the group’s demolitions expert. Perfidia gives birth to a daughter, Willa, which softens Bob, but Perfidia wants to continue her activist ways. Colonel Steven J. Lockjaw (Penn) eventually brings down the group, forcing the living members into hiding, including Bob and Willa.
16 years later, Lockjaw is still looking to bring down the rest of the group. Undetected, Willa (Chase Infiniti) is blossoming as a teenager, and Bob has turned into a drugged-out alcoholic. When Lockjaw gets a lead on Bob and Willa, they are forced to go on the run with the help of former French 75 member Deandra (Regina Hall) and Willa’s karate instructor, Sensei Sergio St. Carlos (Benicio del Toro), who has some revolutionary plans of his own.
Structure/Themes
Structurally, One Battle After Another doesn’t hang its hat on a single string. While the first 30 minutes focus on the activism as the foundation, the next two hours go back and forth between Willa attempting to escape, Bob trying to find out where she is, and Lockjaw in pursuit. That intercutting keeps everything interesting, while also establishing a tight timeline.
For a film that is over 2 hours and 40 minutes, it moves like a shark. There is no sitting around, because there just isn’t any time to waste. It’s all propulsive action, even if the goal is as simple as attempting to charge a cell phone.
Luckily, laugh-out-loud humor constantly intersperses that tension and propulsion. Whether it’s Bob’s constant toking/vaping, Lockjaw’s strut walk and hairstyle, or absolutely anything Sensei Sergio does, the humor is ever-present. Anderson has always had a streak of humor, even in his most serious works (frankly, you can call Phantom Thread a romantic comedy).
But here, despite the heavier material, the comedy helps lighten the mood, except when Anderson specifically knows it’s not the time. Anderson is one of the most deliberate directors working today, so it’s not surprising he knows when to land a joke and knows when to wrestle dramatic control. At the same time, Anderson doesn’t ever want a plain, straightforward narrative.
An entire subplot dedicated to the Christmas Adventurers Club, with Lockjaw’s membership being in question, hasn’t even been talked about. Assuming you haven’t seen the film, don’t worry about actually looking up what that is, because it’s not a real thing. Rather than being grounded in an actual reality, the idea implants a hyper-reality of who is controlling the country and what they want to achieve.
At the same time, the main characters have no understanding of this organization and never attempt to bring it down. These are small people doing what they can to disrupt the system. There is no head of the snake to cut off. If the film were the least bit cynical, it would point to the fruitlessness of activism, but Anderson has zero indication that he feels that way.
Cast
DiCaprio and Anderson are perfectly attuned to what the film needs from Bob. Gone is any movie star aura and charm. DiCaprio gives Bob a pathetic sleaziness and truly disappears into the role. He is rarely a performer who dives deep into his characters, so this is a breath of fresh air from such a usually measured screen presence.
As Lockjaw, Penn is pitch-perfectly cast. For those who are not fond of Penn’s on and off-screen persona, Lockjaw is the perfect character to hate. For others, who love what Penn brings to the table, this is the gonzo performance piece you have been hoping he would bring back to screens. Again, something for everyone.
Chase Infiniti, in what is sure to be her breakout role, is a magnetic screen presence. She never sinks from the moment around a bushel of well-established actors. Instead, she gives Willa a sense of duty and rebelliousness that is bubbling under the surface and rises to the top when the action calls for it.
Taylor flanks her on-screen daughter nicely, despite never sharing a scene. Taylor is a burst of energy and passion that the film needs to start the slow-burning of the film’s prologue. My only complaint is that she isn’t on-screen long enough.
The eternally underrated Hall plays one of the quieter characters of her career, but one of complete conviction and quiet dignity. While certainly not the flashiest of supporting roles, she excels as always. On the other hand, del Toro is a laugh riot. He doesn’t reach his usual heights of outward lunacy, but his control of the comedic text is nothing short of masterful. He’s assuredly the most relaxed character in the film, and it only makes him funnier.
Conclusion
One Battle After Another is a modern masterwork. With the treasure trove of classics in Paul Thomas Anderson’s filmography, I can’t say it’s his best, but it’s certainly in the conversation.
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