One Battle After Another
Cast: Leonardo DiCaprio, Sean Penn, Teyana Taylor
Writer and Director: Paul Thomas Anderson
**** and a ½ *’s out of 5
PTA’s latest is a wonderful thrilling feature that will have your eyes glued to the screen from the first frame. This may be his most widely appealing film since There Will Be Blood and maybe even Boogie Nights
The story follows Bob, an ex revolutionist (Leonado DiCaprio) who must find his estranged daughter before a corrupt U.S. officer(Sean Penn) does. The kicker and what brings a lot of great humor to the story is that Bob has been out of the game for many years. As an explosion expert, Bob has wired the right kind of bomb that helps sends a message without really hurting anyone. Watching him reunite and plan strategies with past elite member was extremely fun. It’s refreshing to see an action movie where the lead character doesn’t really know how to fight.
Rounding out the cast in great performances are Teyana Taylor as Perfidia. Bob’s one time girlfriend who left her family because she was feeling useless for not doing more for the revolution. Benicio del Toro as one of the key members who helps Bob track down his daughter. The girl in question is named Wila and she is portrayed by Chase Infiniti. In a performance so good, you wish she had more screen time.
One Battle After Another was based off the book called Vineland by Thomas Pynchon(whose book Inherent Vice was also adapted by PTA.) A novel made in the 90’s about a story set after 1984. There are a few familiar plot points between both the book and the movie when it comes to certain characters and situations. Paul Thomas Anderson moved the story to modern day America and it works just perfectly.
It should be noted that if you are a fan of this current Trump administration and you believe ICE and MAGA are a good thing. This will not be the movie for you. It treats those supporters as ones who are very ridiculous, stupid but also extremely dangerous. Sean Penn should get an Oscar nomination for his ability to play a character you laugh at but are very afraid of as well.
Each movie in Paul Thomas Anderson’s filmography feels very different from the next. From Magnolia to Punch Drunk Love, Phantom Thread to Licorice Pizza. They each stand out in their own ways and it will be exciting to see how different his next one will be.
Check out our series of other movies directed by Paul Thomas Anderson in
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