Writer/Director Paul Thomas Anderson has returned with a star-laden tale of action, revenge, and devotion in “One Battle After Another”.
Leonardo DiCaprio stars as Bob; a revolutionary who wires explosives for a group who targets immigration centers, financial, and government locales for raids, robberies, and attacks.
Sean Penn is Col Steven Lockjaw who has a complicated relationship with Perfeidia (Teyana Taylor), who is also involved with Bob. Perfeidia met Lockjaw during a raid and he has become obsessed with her. He indicates that he is willing to turn a blind eye to her activities as long as she meets up with him.
Down the line; Perfeidia delivers a baby girl and resents Bob and his willingness to part with the movement to raise their daughter. When Perfeidia is caught during a robbery attempt, Lockjaw allows her to cut a deal by ratting out her friends.
Bob and their daughter run into hiding under the belief that she is possibly dead; not knowing that she has escaped to Mexico.
16 years later; Bob has become a drug and alcohol abuser and watches his daughter closely. No cell phones, no making waves, and the two of them are all that is needed is how Bob likes to live his life.
Lockjaw has risen in status and has aligned himself with a radical and racist group of elite individuals who look to add him to their ranks based on his aggressive tactics against immigrants.
When he learns about Bob and the child via a captured individual; Lockjaw sets out to remove Bob and capture the daughter due to his secret obsessions that counter his new friends and status.
What follows is a long but well-acted tale of obsession, revenge, and family that has some amazing performances.
Penn utterly becomes his character and his quirks, rage, and mannerisms are a masterclass in the craft. DiCaprio is a great counter to Lockjaw as while flawed; he is more of a rise to the challenge type who wants to lay low versus an individual looking to settle a score and get ahead.
My biggest issue was that like many of Anderson’s films; I believe then tend to be a bit long and at times self-indulgent. The movie runs nearly two hours and forty minutes and I believe could easily have lost thirty minutes without sacrificing too much as there are scenes that really do not need to be included and seem more like padding than actually adding to the story and characters.
Despite this; the movie delivers and is a engaging character drama with standout performances not to be missed.
4 stars out of 5
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