In Writer and Director Paul Thomas Anderson’s One Battle After Another, Leonardo DiCaprio plays Bob, who tries to rescue his 16-year-old daughter Willa, played by Chase Infiniti. Way too stoned from drugs and alcohol, Bob gets blue belt Willa’s karate Sensei, played by Benicio Del Toro, to help him. Willa’s abduction is the aftermath of her revolutionary mother Perfidia, played by Teyana Taylor, from 16 years ago.
Leonardo DiCaprio and Benicio Del Toro were guests on New Heights podcast with hosts brothers Jason Kelce and Travis Kelce, talking about One Battle After Another. In the movie, Leo’s Bob hysterically falls off a roof and gets tasered, all believably. A stunt guy really fell of the roof. Bob, who also can’t remember his passcode for the revolutionary network Helpdesk said, “Well, I don’t remember the fucking greeting code, because I got a little too high.”
In One Battle After Another, Leo said, “Okay, when does Bob do something heroic? Nah, let him fuck up again.” Leo said about Bob in Paul Thomas Anderson’s narrative, “You’re not going to do anything heroic, and just be her Dad, and never give up.” Paradoxically, that Bob loves his daughter Willa, makes him the hero. Willa finds her hero inside, the hero inside all of us. That’s the beauty in One Battle After Another. My favorite movie of the year so far.
16 years ago, Bob and Perfidia were members of the revolutionary French 75 that intended to right injustice and create a new order. They raided the immigration camp commanded by Captain Lockjaw, played by Sean Penn, to free the immigrants.
Although Bob and Perfidia are lovers, Perfidia has sex with Lockjaw. Perfidia romanticized herself as a revolutionary, but she was the cold-blooded sociopath killer. She was a terrorist. Lockjaw was the arrogant racist, who happened to be a military officer. He was a fascist. Perfidia and Lockjaw are soulmates.
In the French 75 botched bank robbery, authorities apprehended Perfidia. To spare her life, she made a deal with Lockjaw, and ratted on her revolutionary comrades including Bob and her daughter Charlene. Lockjaw was Charlene’s father, not Bob. Bob and Willa assumed new identities for survival, believing Perfidia was dead.
In the present day, Colonel Lockjaw is candidate for membership to the white supremist Christmas Adventurers. However, he had a child from a mixed-race sexual relationship that disqualifies him. Col Lockjaw must kill Willa to clean his mess. Former French 75 member Deandra, played by compassionate Regina Hall, rescues Willa and takes her to the Rendezvous Point that Bob and Sensei must find to save Willa.
Ironically as Sensei, Benicio Del Toro doesn’t display any martial arts skills which might be a blessing. Still, Benicio provides a beer in need to Leo DiCaprio’s Bob. In Paul Thomas Anderson’s absurdist buddy humor, Bob and Sensei embark on their road trip to find Willa. Benicio’s easy gravitas eloquently embodies Sensei as the underground immigrant railroad leader.
Sean Penn is powerful, uncompromising as Col Lockjaw. His rage and paranoia almost make us feel sorry for him. Almost. Similarly, Teyana Taylor brazenly portrays Perfidia as so morally glitched even for human imperfection.
Leo DiCaprio and Chase Infiniti’s sublime screen partnership is the heart of One Battle After Another. Leo’s vulnerability sources Bob’ authentic self-awareness that he’s not heroic. All he can do is love his daughter Willa. Ironically, that makes Bob the Hero. Chase awes as Willa. Willa sadly discovers that her Mother and Father were bad people. Still, where she came from makes no difference. Willa is smart, strong inside and outside. She discovers the Hero inside herself that was always there.
In One Battle After Another, Willa chooses who she is, who she becomes. As we all do. In the end, Bob told Willa, “Be careful.” She said, “I won’t.” Willa wants to make a difference in the world. We all do. That’s the point of One Battle After Another. That makes it something very special.
