Director: Paul Thomas Anderson
Writer: Paul Thomas Anderson, loosely inspired by the novel Vineland by Thomas Pynchon
Cast: Leonardo DiCaprio, Sean Penn, Teyana Taylor, Chase Infiniti, Benicio Del Toro, Regina Hall, Shayne McHayle, Tony Goldwyn, Eric Schweig, James Downey, John Hoogenakker, Kevin Tighe

Paul Thomas Anderson has made his name as a versatile filmmaker, his films often ranging in tone and style while bring mostly dramatic in nature, and spanning different decades with a ranged palette of colourful characters. Thus, his films do now come with a high level of anticipation, whether it is his aim to appease audiences or not. Along with that is an expectation of strong storytelling as well as commanding visuals. No pressure then, eh? For myself, his films range from average to above average, usually with an interesting story, great characters and a clear plot, but they don’t always resonate with me. Has PTA managed to create something that hits all the spots, or has the hype and expectancy been too much this time?

Revolutionaries Pat (DiCaprio) and Perfidia (Taylor) hang up their hats when Perfidia falls pregnant, but not long after giving birth, she abandons Pat and their daughter. Sixteen years later, Pat, now Bob, is an alcoholic, drug-using, paranoid single father to Willa (Infiniti). Soon, Bob and Willa’s lives are turned upside down when Willa is targeted by Steven Lockjaw (Penn), the commanding officer of an immigrant detention centre that Pat and Perfidia once raided with their revolutionary group the French 75. As Willa is taken, Pat/Bob does anything and everything he can to track her down, with the help of his revolutionary comrades.

Personally, PTA’s filmography is up and down for me. Whilst I don’t really care for Boogie Nights (calm down), I love Punch-Drunk Love, and films like There Will be Blood and Phantom Thread lie somewhere between the two. But now, we have a clear winner in my estimation. OBAA runs about twenty minutes shy of two hours, but you wouldn’t know it. The pacing is perfect with nary a lull, and the action is balanced very well with drama, depth, comedy and very timely themes, namely immigration, racism (including a resurgence of systemic white supremacy), misogyny, revolution and family, making it very relatable and easily resonate with many people. It kicks off on a strong note, putting audiences right in the midst of a situation that mirrors the reality of so many immigrants in the US right now, and essentially gets you on the side of the revolutionaries so we know where our loyalties will lie for the duration. It then continues to ebb and flow through thrilling escapades, histrionics that provide the comic aspects of the film and immersing character relationships and developments. All in all, it’s a terrific lesson in creating a clear three-act structure that doesn’t allow the audience to lose focus but does give us a few breaks to take it all in.

It would be no surprise if this film receives a ton of award nominations in the next few months leading up to awards season early next year. From PTA’s intricate writing, direction and incredible eye in collaboration with his cinematographer Michael Bauman (a scene involving three cars in the third act is particularly memorable, as well as the framing of many scenes) to Andy Jurgensen’s editing, Radiohead’s Jonny Greenwood’s composing (which perfectly compliments PTA’s visuals and keeps pace with the editing, as usual), Colleen Atwood’s costume design (minimal but impactful), and all the way through the make up department right up to the sound mixing, everything just comes together in a such a way that can only have been conducted by a team of seasoned filmmakers who knew exactly what they wanted and needed from each other. The teamwork is clear to see through how smoothly the film flows from scene to scene and character to character.

While DiCaprio might have turned down Boogie Nights in favour of Titanic, he finally got to work with PTA, and it looks like things may have worked out for the best. His performance is outstanding, and it is eery how easily he slips into the role of Bob, both as the optimistic revolutionary and the drug-addled single father who loves his daughter to the ends of the earth. Penn gets deeply immersed in one of the most frightening cinematic villains in recent years. His commander Lockjaw, a white supremacist with a weird fetish for Black women, is at once horrifically terrifying and darkly comical, with his physical transformation having me question if it was really Penn throughout the film. Newcomer Infiniti has a great father-daughter chemistry with DiCaprio, but it’s her scenes with others, particularly Penn, that help her stand out the most. She gives Willa her strength and vulnerability that is needed to go up against big scene partners such as DiCaprio and Penn. Del Toro is also a scene stealer, his presence and comedy providing a grounding for DiCaprio’s drama in their scenes together. Taylor, while only appearing in the first act, gives a memorable performance that lies as an undercurrent throughout the film. The supporting cast as a whole give the lead characters a strong foundation, with not one supporting performance being out of place or without meaning.

It is clear that this was Anderson’s biggest budget to date, and he did not let it go to waste. OBAA is a true tour-de-force and will be a big awards contender. It is culturally relevant while being entertaining, and it feels like being on a long rollercoaster that is thoroughly enjoyable. Wherever you stand on PTA’s films, this one is sure to bring around the most critical of viewers, myself included. For some, this could well be Anderson’s career-defining film.