One Battle After Another: Paul Thomas Anderson has a habit of bringing forth thought-provoking stories that also bring out the best performances from his cast. From legend Daniel Day-Lewis in Phantom Thread or There Will Be Blood, to Philip Seymour Hoffman in Magnolia and The Master or Mark Wahlberg in Boogie Nights he brings forth movies too that have timely social commentary. For me, I can find that the depth of his films require multiple viewings to fully explore his themes and messages. In this movie the cast includes heavyweights Leo Dicaprio, Sean Penn, Benicio Del Toro and Regina Hall. Each of whom provides an excellent performance. Added to these well known actors includes newcomers to me Teyana Taylor (looking quite a bit like Rhianna) who plays anarchist Perfidia Beverly Hills and Chase Infiniti playing her daughter Willa.

Leo plays Bob Ferguson, who begins the film as a pyrotechnical expert brought on board by the leader of an anarchist group, led by Perfidia Beverly Hills. She is looking to attack an immigration deportation centre and free the captured. It is at the Deporation Centre that, unbeknownst to Bob, that she meets up with the Penn character who she humiliates. It begins a singular focus by Penn with Perfidia that sets the main plot in this movie in motion. Bob falls in love with Perfidia and they begin a relationship as they continue with their attacks on the world at large. Perfidia comes from a long line of anarchists and revolutionaries, but we find too that she is also a person focused on her self-preservation and she will do virtually anything to ensure that she can carry on. Perfidia ends up pregnant but she has no real interest in being a Mom, but rather she wants to keep doing what she does. The child and the responsibility for raising her becomes Bob’s. Bob wishes that Perfidia shared in his commitment to the young baby girl. But Bob is not very committed to anything, and he wallows away with alcohol and weed living life each day with very little direction. He loses his direction, but is snapped back into reality quickly when his former life of anarchy comes back to change his life again.

Although this movie is being marketed as a DiCaprio film, I would say that the more startling performance within it is from Sean Penn. The two-time Oscar winner plays military man Steven J Lockjaw with a single-mindedness on his own glory and advancement all the while revealing that he has his own particular fetishes and needs. He is the main foil to Ben and Perfidia. He embodies this quirky intense man through and through, from his odd haircut right down to his gait, which looks like he is bow-legged. Lockjaw will do whatever is required for him, and utilize any means available to him. There is no ideal about community nor social utility in what he does. The fact that he is a decorated military man, just gives him more levers at his disposal.

There are other supporting characters including Benicio Del Toro who assists with the young daughter Willa with training her in martial arts. Later he helps Bob out while also showing how spanish-speaking people are reacting to the current hostile environment in that area in California. There is also an all-white “Christmas Adventurers Club” who use all means possible to advance the aims of their unique and highly selective group. Lockjaw wants to become one of them. So within the movie you run from a socialist anarchist perspective, to the military right wing dictator to a extreme right wing elitist group all interacting. It speaks volumes about the world we are living in today.

As the credits rolled in the theatre I was still processing what I had just watched. There is an element of “what did I just watch?”. But the performances were all really strong, with likely plenty of Oscar buzz within. Will everyone like this? I doubt it. But it is unique story-telling in a time when sequels and superheroes rule the box offices. It has some genuinely funny moments surrounded in a serious story where the characters play it seriously. It does show how divided those in America have become and how more extreme they are becoming in their actions and views. Of course this isn’t everybody, but maybe too that is the point that the vast majority of ordinary citizens are ignored so that these extremes can advance their aims at the general populous’ expense. I do think that I will likely need to see this again, but likely not on the big screen. I came away entertained. It has stuck with me as I think through it and discuss it. So if you are an Anderson film fan, then you should seek this out.