“One Battle After Another” – how to tease people into reluctant laughter at a very real ongoing situation. Directed, written and produced by Paul Thomas Anderson, this story is adapted from the novel “Vineland” by Thomas Pynchon. Stars and actors include Leo Di Caprio, Sean Penn, Teyana Taylor, Chase Infiniti and Benicio del Toro. The story is inspired by true events and real-life groups such as The
Weathermen – a far left militant organization active from 1969 to the mid 70s who wanted to eradicate racism and imperialism in the USA. Other reviews do remark on the left wing and socialistic curve of the story which focuses not only on the left wing but also the right wing and how shades of in between feelings develop from the right reducing some of the plot to a frightening farce where the possession of a mixed race negro child could result in annihilation for a right winger who is discovered through a DNA test to be the father. Sean
Penn plays a right winger who is in love with a negro woman and spawns a sexy love affair causing her to carry his child and then get hunted down. The man who thinks he is the father – Bob (Di Caprio) brings up the beautiful girl after her mother goes missing assumed dead and to calm his frazzled nerves, indulges in a few illegal drugs to get by.

A fascinating “gizmo” is employed in the narrative which is held in two parts by distant people but has a musical tracking device which identifies closeness and location. I cannot really think of a better way to describe it but you will know when you see the film.

Now to the title – “One Battle After Another” – well, the saga of the story could run and run into a sequel! There are a few twists and turns for all involved and yes – you probably anticipated this – some shoot outs too! The black comedic aspect of the story involves the ubiquitous car chases and some barely believable survivals of smashes and crashes. But this film does have its dark side as no one is safe on either side of the “divide” as rivals compete to save immigrants and their families or the mixed race children that “love trysts”
produce so for myself I did not find it particularly funny. However people I have spoken to or been with who have seen the film enjoyed it, thought it was a classic and enjoyed the embrace of this topic as age old and needing to be addressed with some great performances from the cast. Go and see it and decide what you think whilst it is in the cinemas.

ENJOY !

Penny Nair Price