One Battle After Another is now in theaters, marking the end of what had been a long and winding journey for writer/director Paul Thomas Anderson. The film is loosely based on the Thomas Pynchon novel Vineland, a story Anderson wanted to bring to the big screen for decades. It took him a long time to find a way to crack the movie’s narrative, ultimately pulling in elements from Vineland to flesh out a touching father-daughter story about Bob and Willa Ferguson. Leonardo DiCaprio’s Bob is front and center in One Battle After Another as he desperately searches for his daughter, who’s portrayed by Chase Infiniti in a star-making turn. In an ensemble that includes multiple Oscar winners, Infiniti has been cited as a highlight, and One Battle After Another might not have happened if it wasn’t for her.
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In an interview with ComicBook to discuss the film, Infiniti recalled her feelings upon hearing Anderson say at a press screening that “this movie was waiting for Chase.” “I mean, even when he said that [at the screening], I was like, ‘Oh my god!’” she said. “That thought is actually kind of insane because he did start writing it 20 years ago. And just hearing how the story progressed, and how casting progressed, and Paul bringing on [co-stars Teyana Taylor and Regina Hall] and the entire team and crew, it’s a very surreal thing, and I’m just blessed that I got to be a part of it.”
Chase Infiniti Is Integral to One Battle After Another‘s Success
One Battle After Another is a very ambitious movie that mixes a lot of big ideas (its themes of political revolution) with large-scale, technically masterful filmmaking (the various action set pieces, including some standout car chases). Much has been made about the narrative’s relevance to today’s society and which premium format provides the ideal viewing experience, but none of that would matter if it wasn’t for the emotional core at the heart of the film. When stripped down, One Battle After Another is a story about an overwhelmed father going through hell to rescue his daughter. The relationship between Bob and Willa gives One Battle After Another a relatable human element that grounds it, making it easy for viewers to get invested in what’s happening.
DiCaprio is characteristically great as Bob, tapping into his more comedic side to play a bumbling ex-revolutionary who’s burned out and way in over his head. What’s remarkable is that Infiniti matches him, going toe to toe with the Oscar winner in multiple scenes and more than holding her own. One Battle After Another is one of the year’s most acclaimed films for many reasons, but that dynamic is arguably the most important. If audiences didn’t buy into Bob and Willa, it would have derailed the story. Infiniti is integral to One Battle After Another not just in regard to the basic plot, but also thematically. The film touches on the idea of one generation passing the torch to the next; Bob’s revolutionary days are behind him, but Willa represents a new hope due to Infiniti’s passionate, determined performance as a teenager looking to carve out her place in the world.
It’s high praise from an acclaimed director like Anderson to say One Battle After Another, which lingered in development for years, was specifically waiting for Infiniti. It speaks to how vital the character of Willa is to the film and what Anderson was hoping to achieve with it. Infiniti proved to be the perfect choice for the role, never feeling out of place as she shared the screen with legends like Sean Penn and Regina Hall. In the wrong hands, Willa could have come across as a two-dimensional rebellious teenager trope, but Infiniti found a way to mold her into a well-rounded character, and the film is better for it.
One Battle After Another is shaping up to be one of the year’s frontrunners in the Oscar race, and it’ll be interesting to see which actors receive nominations. Infiniti will surely find herself in the running for Best Supporting Actress, as she leaves quite an impression in her first film role. One Battle After Another doesn’t work as well without her, and it would be great to see her awarded for a breakout performance.
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Image courtesy of MAPPA
