I read exactly one Thomas Pynchon novel in high school - the shortest one - before I decided that I didn't know enough about politics to read Thomas Pynchon novels. Since then, I've learned a little more about politics and history, and watched a few adaptations of Pynchon's work - enough to mostly parse what's going on in Paul Thomas Anderson's "One Battle After Another," which is loosely based on Pynchon's "Vineland." It centers around the members of a far-left militant revolutionary group called the French 75, who do things like liberate an immigrant detainment center in the opening sequence.
The French 75 and its members are modelled after the militant groups of the 1960s and 1970s, like the Weather Underground, but "One Battle After Another" takes place now, with plot points involving smart phones and DNA testing. This results in an interesting mix of old and new satirical elements and cultural signifiers. Paul Thomas Anderson used a lot of the same tropes in "Inherent Vice," his adaptation of a Pynchon 1970s neo-noir, so I knew some of the character types already - the drug-addled hero "Ghetto" Pat Calhoun, aka Bob Ferguson (Leonardo DiCaprio), his complicated ex, Perfidia Beverly Hills (Teyana Taylor), and the evil embodiment of the government hunting them down, Col. Steven J. Lockjaw (Sean Penn).
"One Battle After Another" is doing a lot, as it explores the ins and outs of the far-left groups that Bob is part of and interacts with. Most of the film is about the conflict that erupts when Lockjaw tracks down Bob and teenage daughter Willa (Chase Infiniti) to the sanctuary city of Baktan Cross, and decides to go to war. This means Bob has to get back into the revolutionary game, and he does a terrible job of it. "One Battle After Another" is one of those movies that's filled with a multitude of enjoyable little character portraits. Bob and Willa are helped out by other revolutionaries played by Regina Hall, Paul Grimstad, April Grace, Shayna McHayle, and Benicio Del Toro as the unflappable Sensei Sergio. Meanwhile, Lockjaw is trying to get into the good graces of an exclusive enclave of right-wing power brokers known as the Christmas Adventurers Club, so we get slimy appearances from Tony Goldwyn, Kevin Tighe, and Jim Downey.
If you're here for the politics, Anderson does a very good job of highlighting the dysfunctions and difficulties of being a revolutionary, while never pretending for a moment that the corrupt, violent government thugs and moneyed elites deserve any mercy from them. It takes a while to get oriented in the chaos of the militant code-names and torrents of Marxist sloganeering, but once Anderson lays out all the major characters and relationships, "One Battle After Another" turns out to be wildly entertaining. It's clever and funny and a lot of good actors like DiCaprio, Penn, and Del Toro get to be absolutely ridiculous onscreen. There are also some fantastic action set-pieces, including a mass exodus of undocumented immigrants, multiple clashes between the revolutionaries and the agents of the government, and an extended car chase in the last act through a hilly stretch of California highway. The ending hinges on the actions of a minor character, Avanti (Eric Schweig), a Native American assassin who reaches the end of his patience.
It's the performances that stand out. I wouldn't be surprised if this is the role that Sean Penn ends up being remembered for. Lockjaw is a biting caricature of a career military man - loathsome, self-hating, and utterly obsessed with achieving his goals. DiCaprio's Bob is a walking shambles, but he does a great job of maintaining an anxious energy throughout. Perfidia is already a figure of controversy - a committed revolutionary whose loyalties are pulled in too many directions, who commits several cardinal sins. And then there's Chase Infiniti making a name for herself, taking the lead for much of the second half and going toe to toe with every scene partner, no matter what the star wattage. And of course, we all wish we were as cool as Benicio Del Toro.
"One Battle After Another" is very Thomas Pynchon in the sense that it features layer upon layer of satire. You have the characters with names like Mae West, Billy Goat, and Junglepussy. You have the atmosphere of paranoia with the secret societies and underground revolutionaries who communicate in pop culture-heavy codespeak. However, the movie is also extremely relevant to the modern state of America, and at its heart is about a contemporary father and daughter learning to relate to each other. Unlike "Inherent Vice," there's a clear path through the mountains of obscure references, and a satisfying resolution at the end. You can tell this is material near and dear to Paul Thomas Anderson, and he nailed it.
Viva la revolucion!
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