Leonardo DiCaprio Says New Film Tackles Polarisation in Modern Society
Oscar-winning actor Leonardo DiCaprio has described his latest film One Battle After Another as a reflection of the “divisiveness in our culture,” noting that its themes mirror the growing polarisation he sees in today’s world.
Directed by Paul Thomas Anderson, the film has been two decades in the making. Inspired in part by Thomas Pynchon’s 1990 novel Vineland, it follows DiCaprio’s character Bob, a paranoid ex-revolutionary living off-grid, who is drawn back into conflict when his daughter goes missing. The cast also features Benicio del Toro, Sean Penn, Teyana Taylor, Regina Hall, and Chase Infiniti.
DiCaprio, best known for Titanic and his Oscar-winning role in The Revenant, said the film highlights extremism and political tension without feeling heavy-handed. “It holds a mirror up to society,” he explained. “It’s political without making it feel like medicine.”
Del Toro, who plays martial arts instructor Sergio, praised the project as both timely and entertaining. He said working alongside DiCaprio was “a dream come true,” adding that their collaboration had been long overdue.
The film blends political satire, dark comedy, and action. Critics have already hailed it as a standout of the year. The Guardian and The Independent gave it five-star reviews, with Peter Bradshaw calling it a “ferocious American masterpiece” and praising its themes of dissent and nonconformity. The Telegraph’s Robbie Collin highlighted Sean Penn’s “knockout tragicomic” performance and compared DiCaprio’s work to Jack Nicholson in his prime.
The Times awarded the film four stars but still called it a “career high” for DiCaprio and predicted Oscar recognition, describing it as a “surefire frontrunner.” With a reported $175m budget, critics agree it is Anderson’s most ambitious project to date.
DiCaprio himself lauded Anderson as “a visionary and seminal director,” noting that the filmmaker, whose credits include There Will Be Blood and Phantom Thread, “really went for it” with this project.
One Battle After Another has already cemented itself as an awards-season contender, with critics suggesting both DiCaprio and the film could be leading the race to next year’s Oscars.