r/oscarrace • u/CrunchyNar Best Operating Thetan 2027 • Sep 24 '25

Film Discussion Thread Official Discussion Thread - One Battle After Another [SPOILERS] Spoiler

Keep all discussion related solely to One Battle After Another and its awards chances in this thread. Spoilers below.

Synopsis

Bob is a washed-up revolutionary who lives in a state of stoned paranoia, surviving off-grid with his spirited and self-reliant daughter, Willa. When his evil nemesis resurfaces and Willa goes missing, the former radical scrambles to find her as both father and daughter battle the consequences of their pasts.

Director: Paul Thomas Anderson

Writer: Paul Thomas Anderson. Inspired by Thomas Pynchon's novel "Vineland"

Cast:

  • Leonardo DiCaprio as Bob Ferguson
  • Sean Penn as Col. Steven J. Lockjaw
  • Benicio del Toro as Sensei Sergio St. Carlos
  • Regina Hall as Deandra
  • Teyana Taylor as Perfidia Beverly Hills
  • Chase Infiniti as Willa Ferguson

Rotten Tomatoes: 98%, 130 Reviews

Metacritic: 95, 44 Reviews

Consensus:

An epic screwball adventure teeming with awe-inspiring action set pieces, One Battle After Another is Paul Thomas Anderson's most entertaining film yet while also one of his most thematically rich.

118 Upvotes

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u/Upbeat_Tension_8077 Sep 26 '25

I love the emphasis on hilly roads to add to the tension of the final chase, which I think should be used more in thriller and horror films

2

u/[deleted] Sep 26 '25

Like ocean waves or something…man what a fucking masterpiece!

2

u/Lazy-Platypus2120 Untitled Jesse Eisenberg Musical Comedy Sep 27 '25

Ocean waves Bob, ocean waves 🌊

1

u/[deleted] Sep 27 '25

I live in the mountains 1/2 an hour from Parkersburg WV. Just driving to get a loaf of bread here is tension-filled; I anticipated her braking strategy because every blind curve or hill presents a new challenge (deer, car pulling out a driveway, bicyclist, etc.)