One Battle After Another
Strongly inspired by Thomas Pynchon's novel Vineland, which Paul Thomas Anderson has been attempting to adapt, on and off, for more than two decades, One Battle After Another tackles a litany of themes including revolution, government corruption, interracial couples and racism, and the generational divide between a father and a daughter.
During an extended introduction involving the type of radical left Republicans are often railing against but hasn't really existed in this country during my lifetime, we are introduced to Pat Calhoun (Leonardo DiCaprio) and Perfidia Beverly Hills (Teyana Taylor) part of the revolutionary group the French 75. While the lovers are both believers, these segments also highlight their faults. No one in this film is perfect, and nearly all are led by their more base desires.
Perfidia is a star in the group and knows it, getting off on the violence and power she can impose on those she feels righteous over. This kink culminates in her bizarre sexual encounters with Col. Steven J. Lockjaw (Sean Penn), the racist leader of the governmental force abusing its authority at his whim. Their twisted relationship will be brought to the forefront when the film jumps forward 16 years and the knowledge of it might be the only obstacle between the colonel and his acceptance into a secret cabal of white supremacists laughingly called the Christmas Adventurers Club.
Crafting a reason to invade the town where Pat, now living under the name of Bob, and his daughter Willa (Chase Infiniti) are residing, simply to get his hands on the pair, an obsessive Lockjaw and his team descend on the sanctuary city of Baktan Cross creating havoc which will provide the backdrop for our main story and force the burned-out revolutionary of of his drugged slumber.
Given the topics, you may be surprised how funny One Battle After Another is, as without the humor it would be pretty damn bleak. Most of the characters are fairly stupid and/or self-sabotaging with Bob leading the way (and providing many of the film's laughs). Perhaps the only smart character in the film is Willa's sensei (Benicio del Toro) who is also secretly harboring refugees and undocumented immigrants and keeps his wits long enough to both continue his cause and help out Bob as much as he can.
Given that the revolutionaries are as flawed, and at least as dumb a those perusing them, there does feel like a bit of a mixed message about the revolution highlighted so strongly in the film's opening scenes. Even Willa will make a horrible decision which will put those risking their lives to save hers in danger. As best I can gleam, Anderson seems quite in favor of the fight if not always those making it (understanding people to be as often flawed as the system they are railing against). While the end of the film offers a bit of hope, it's also hard not to look at the events and wonder how much good our protagonists have done in the world, but perhaps it's the attempt (more than the result) which is important.
If I have quibbles with the film it's in multiple questionable story points in the final 15 minutes, all after one hell of a great car chase, which I won't spoil here other than to say the film goes for the moment in each instance rather than think through whether or not it makes sense to the plot and resolution of the film. At 162 minutes, One Battle After Another is not a film I would return to often, but it's a hell of a time at the movies and a memorable cinematic experience that obviously feels very personal to its director.
- Title: One Battle After Another
- IMDb: link
