I sought out this review specifically because I wanted to read a critique of the Perfidia character that had some real substance to it. That aspect of the review was informative and gave me new perspective--I'm not sure that I'm all the way there with you on it but there's certainly something to it, particulalry the side effects of race swapping her from the original text.
The two aspects of this review that I reject wholeheartedly are the way you talk about Bob and Lockjaw. I don't understand how you could possibly claim 'One Battle' is a vehicle for "white male heroics" when Leo's character is the comedic heart of the film, *through his consistent failure* . At every turn he messes up, needs to be babysat or rescued (by POC), or is a spectator to the events that take place, through the actions of others.
Bob is a self-insert for PTA, a harsh critique of himself and the ways he has failed, and a stand-in for his entire generation--being unable or unwilling to step up and prevent the horrors of the present day from unfolding. Too stoned, disinterested, or ignorant to stand up and fight. It's only after being forced out of hiding that he refinds his courage, before realizing at the end that this isn't even his fight anymore, at least not in the way that it was at the start of the film--it's Willa's generation's battle. The only thing he did do correct, was the love and care he raised his daughter with...preparing her to fight despite being unable to himself. (this even carries through to the finale on the road)
Lockjaw is sort of an evil mirror to Bob. PTA uses a lot of parallel characters/situations/lines for the purposes of contrasting. Bob being goaded into saying he likes black girls when the revolutionaries are sitting around chatting was brought back in mirror with Penn's Lockjaw menacingly uttering the same phrase completely recontextualizing the words. *He* does fetishize black women, Perfidia in particular, from the very first time he sees her when he drops a nickname for her. When he looks through the binoculars--uncomfortably eyeing her up and down, PTA is highlighting Lockjaw's sick viewpoint. Like many great filmmakers, the subversive ones especially, Anderson is aware of who will be watching the film. And like Brian De Palma, implicates the audience through a POV shot, getting them to confront the same gaze Penn uses.
Your critique of the way Bob and Lockjaw are portrayed can only really be had if you think so little of the Filmmaker, to not see what he's relaying, and to assume the worst in his intentions. I think on a second watch you would come to realize what he's doing with them more. Having said that the other issues you've presented may end up being solidified, as you had some teeth to them, backed by the text.
Thanks so much for reading and sharing your point of view, Eric! I think what you hit on the head is Bob being a PTA self-insert contrasted with the reality that "it's Willa's generation's battle." So when I say white male heroics, I mean center of the story, I mean the hero's journeyTM, without regard to whether they do anything heroic to deserve to be the center of attention. The fact that PTA makes the bumbling Bob the center when the story could so brilliantly be Perfidia's or Sergio's or even Willa's, is my sticking point. And with the race swapping of Perfidia that adds that extra layer of racism on top of the misogyny, I'm not inclined to think the best of PTA. As a critic, I should consider his intentions, but those are less important to me than the impact of the images he's put on the screen. A filmmaker can intend to satirize a social problem, but if not careful can end up perpetuating the thing they wished to critique instead. I think PTA was not careful in his study or understanding of racial politics, as noted by his comfort swapping out Weather Underground's white movement with Black women activists and no consideration for why that was wrong, and his intention to make Perfidia like Assata without engaging in her actual work. As a result, he made a movie that perpetuated things he probably intended to critique and that made for a deeply unpleasant viewing experience for me. I'm sure I'd catch something I missed if I watched it again, and I'm sure I will never spend 3 hours of my life this way again. But thanks again for your comment! I appreciate your consideration.
Fair enough - Ultimately this is the movie he felt he had to make and his own life informs it more than probably any other movie he's made (Bob and Willa's dynamic). I don't see how he could make it as pointed and critical of himself and his generation and crucially Whiteness, without it being a bumbling white man at the center, which serves to highlight everyone around him...to change that would be to rip up the film-- an outcome I don't think you'd mind lol. And I can't argue with you on that perspective at all
Amazing review! The Assata comparison is even more important now that Teyana Taylor admitted on record that her and PTA used Assata as inspo for Perfidia (and unfortunately I found this out looking at Assata’s wikipedia…)
I sought out this review specifically because I wanted to read a critique of the Perfidia character that had some real substance to it. That aspect of the review was informative and gave me new perspective--I'm not sure that I'm all the way there with you on it but there's certainly something to it, particulalry the side effects of race swapping her from the original text.
The two aspects of this review that I reject wholeheartedly are the way you talk about Bob and Lockjaw. I don't understand how you could possibly claim 'One Battle' is a vehicle for "white male heroics" when Leo's character is the comedic heart of the film, *through his consistent failure* . At every turn he messes up, needs to be babysat or rescued (by POC), or is a spectator to the events that take place, through the actions of others.
Bob is a self-insert for PTA, a harsh critique of himself and the ways he has failed, and a stand-in for his entire generation--being unable or unwilling to step up and prevent the horrors of the present day from unfolding. Too stoned, disinterested, or ignorant to stand up and fight. It's only after being forced out of hiding that he refinds his courage, before realizing at the end that this isn't even his fight anymore, at least not in the way that it was at the start of the film--it's Willa's generation's battle. The only thing he did do correct, was the love and care he raised his daughter with...preparing her to fight despite being unable to himself. (this even carries through to the finale on the road)
Lockjaw is sort of an evil mirror to Bob. PTA uses a lot of parallel characters/situations/lines for the purposes of contrasting. Bob being goaded into saying he likes black girls when the revolutionaries are sitting around chatting was brought back in mirror with Penn's Lockjaw menacingly uttering the same phrase completely recontextualizing the words. *He* does fetishize black women, Perfidia in particular, from the very first time he sees her when he drops a nickname for her. When he looks through the binoculars--uncomfortably eyeing her up and down, PTA is highlighting Lockjaw's sick viewpoint. Like many great filmmakers, the subversive ones especially, Anderson is aware of who will be watching the film. And like Brian De Palma, implicates the audience through a POV shot, getting them to confront the same gaze Penn uses.
Your critique of the way Bob and Lockjaw are portrayed can only really be had if you think so little of the Filmmaker, to not see what he's relaying, and to assume the worst in his intentions. I think on a second watch you would come to realize what he's doing with them more. Having said that the other issues you've presented may end up being solidified, as you had some teeth to them, backed by the text.
Thanks so much for reading and sharing your point of view, Eric! I think what you hit on the head is Bob being a PTA self-insert contrasted with the reality that "it's Willa's generation's battle." So when I say white male heroics, I mean center of the story, I mean the hero's journeyTM, without regard to whether they do anything heroic to deserve to be the center of attention. The fact that PTA makes the bumbling Bob the center when the story could so brilliantly be Perfidia's or Sergio's or even Willa's, is my sticking point. And with the race swapping of Perfidia that adds that extra layer of racism on top of the misogyny, I'm not inclined to think the best of PTA. As a critic, I should consider his intentions, but those are less important to me than the impact of the images he's put on the screen. A filmmaker can intend to satirize a social problem, but if not careful can end up perpetuating the thing they wished to critique instead. I think PTA was not careful in his study or understanding of racial politics, as noted by his comfort swapping out Weather Underground's white movement with Black women activists and no consideration for why that was wrong, and his intention to make Perfidia like Assata without engaging in her actual work. As a result, he made a movie that perpetuated things he probably intended to critique and that made for a deeply unpleasant viewing experience for me. I'm sure I'd catch something I missed if I watched it again, and I'm sure I will never spend 3 hours of my life this way again. But thanks again for your comment! I appreciate your consideration.
Fair enough - Ultimately this is the movie he felt he had to make and his own life informs it more than probably any other movie he's made (Bob and Willa's dynamic). I don't see how he could make it as pointed and critical of himself and his generation and crucially Whiteness, without it being a bumbling white man at the center, which serves to highlight everyone around him...to change that would be to rip up the film-- an outcome I don't think you'd mind lol. And I can't argue with you on that perspective at all
Cheers
Whew that Fred Hampton quote!
Right?! He peeped game early and probably saved a lot of lives
Amazing review! The Assata comparison is even more important now that Teyana Taylor admitted on record that her and PTA used Assata as inspo for Perfidia (and unfortunately I found this out looking at Assata’s wikipedia…)
WOW. Yuck. Thanks for telling me that!! And thank you for reading!!
Such an excellent review.
New subscriber - very happy to be here.
Very happy to have you, Kate! Thanks so much!
I think there are some valid points in the review. But I have some fundamental disagreements. Either way, your writing is dope. Subscribed!
Thanks so much for reading and subscribing!