Sometimes a movie comes along and absolutely blows you away. For me, ONE BATTLE AFTER ANOTHER is that movie. I think I can safely say it is one of my favorite movies not for just this year, but for many years. Director Paul Thomas Anderson taps into something profound in humanity, complicating or uncomplicating evil, love. ONE BATTLE AFTER ANOTHER touches on the importance of being there for one another in an insightful, honest, and humorous telling with incredible performances, exquisite story telling, and masterful direction.
ONE BATTLE AFTER ANOTHER official synopsis:
From Warner Bros. Pictures comes “One Battle After Another,” written, directed and produced by Paul Thomas Anderson and starring Academy Award and BAFTA winners Leonardo DiCaprio, Sean Penn and Benicio Del Toro, and Regina Hall, Teyana Taylor and Chase Infiniti.
Washed-up revolutionary Bob (DiCaprio) exists in a state of stoned paranoia, surviving off-grid with his spirited, self-reliant daughter, Willa (Infiniti). When his evil nemesis (Penn) resurfaces after 16 years and she goes missing, the former radical scrambles to find her, father and daughter both battling the consequences of his past.
I want everyone involved to win every award possible. The score, cinematography, editing, art direction, acting, and directing are just superb. This is a perfect example that counters my frustration at movies being too long… unless you can do it as tight as possible, with an incredible pace, and of the utmost quality. ONE BATTLE AFTER ANOTHER is 2 hours and 49 minutes (a length I typically complain about), but I loved every minute of the film and would not cut a thing. I was surprised it was a long as it was because I was so engaged the entire length of the film.
DiCapiro is an out of this world talent as a helpless dad, but his love and determination overcomes his dumb inabilities, while Del Toro pops on screen crushing every moment as the uncredited talent helping Bob on his journey to save his daughter. As a dad, I found myself tearing up and motivated relating to the inability of our hero, but also knowing I would stop at nothing. Penn crushes as the insecure, illogical walking contradiction of human evil and sin. But it’s director PTA who understands how to put this all together to making such a compelling drama with every genre of movie making possible.
Paul Thomas Anderson always creates something interesting and sometimes it’s a masterpiece. The film reflects the people and the world we were and are currently living in and somehow captures every emotion known to man. I laughed, I cried, I was angry, and I was full of joy. Leonardo DiCaprio and the entire supporting cast understood the assignment and delivered one of the best films in years.
