One Battle After Another (2025)
Kernel Score: 85% · 2,996 ratings · Rated R
Genres: Thriller, Crime, Action
Released: 2025-09-23
Runtime: 162 minutes
Is One Battle After Another worth watching?
Must-watch. Paul Thomas Anderson's chaotic chase thriller follows a washed-up revolutionary and his daughter. It is funny, tense and unpredictable, with big performances, and it holds its energy for a long runtime.
Watch it if you
- like ambitious, character-driven thrillers
- enjoy dark comedy mixed with action
- admire Paul Thomas Anderson's work
Skip it if you
- want a neat, conventional thriller
- dislike long, politically-minded films
Best for: Big night in
Fresh Kernels verdict, AI-assisted from our scores, audience reviews and the official rating.
Where to watch One Battle After Another
- Stream: Prime Video, HBO Max
- Rent: Prime Video, Apple TV, Google Play, YouTube
- Buy: Prime Video, Apple TV, Google Play, YouTube
US availability, updated 2026-10-23.
Overview
Washed-up revolutionary Bob exists in a state of stoned paranoia, surviving off-grid with his spirited, self-reliant daughter, Willa. When his evil nemesis resurfaces after 16 years and she goes missing, the former radical scrambles to find her, father and daughter both battling the consequences of his past.
One Battle After Another parents' guide: ages 15+
Parents need to know that this R-rated crime thriller mixes heavy drug use and chaotic violence with an explicitly political, ideology-driven framing around anti-fascism, race and immigration.
- Violence & scariness: Strong — Riots, being on the run and violent confrontations with an old nemesis drive a chaotic, edge-of-your-seat thriller.
- Drinking, drugs & smoking: Strong — The lead is a washed-up revolutionary living in a state of near-constant 'stoned paranoia,' with drug use woven through the story.
Fresh Kernels AI-assessed from the official R rating, publicly documented content. A guide for families, not an official rating.
Movies like One Battle After Another
If you liked One Battle After Another, these are the movies we'd watch next.
- There Will Be Blood (2007) — 89%: Same director's epic about obsession and power
- Magnolia (1999) — 88%: Same director's sprawling, many-threaded drama
- Boogie Nights (1997) — 85%: Same director's energetic, character-packed film
- Punch-Drunk Love (2002) — 81%: Same director, in a stranger, more playful mode
- The Conformist (1971) — 86%: Political thriller about moral compromise
- The French Connection (1971) — 87%: Gritty chase thriller of the same era of restless filmmaking
Director
Cast
- Leonardo DiCaprio as Bob
- Sean Penn as Col. Steven J. Lockjaw
- Chase Infiniti as Willa
- Benicio del Toro as Sensei Sergio St. Carlos
- Regina Hall as Deandra
- Teyana Taylor as Perfidia
- Wood Harris as Laredo
- Tony Goldwyn as Virgil Throckmorton
- D.W. Moffett as Bill Desmond
- Paul Grimstad as Sommerville
One Battle After Another FAQ
Is One Battle After Another worth watching?
Must-watch. Paul Thomas Anderson's chaotic chase thriller follows a washed-up revolutionary and his daughter. It is funny, tense and unpredictable, with big performances, and it holds its energy for a long runtime.
Where can I watch One Battle After Another?
In the US you can stream One Battle After Another on Prime Video and HBO Max and rent it from Prime Video, Apple TV, Google Play and YouTube.
Is One Battle After Another OK for kids?
One Battle After Another is rated R. Fresh Kernels suggests ages 15+. Parents need to know that this R-rated crime thriller mixes heavy drug use and chaotic violence with an explicitly political, ideology-driven framing around anti-fascism, race and immigration.
What movies are like One Battle After Another?
If you liked One Battle After Another, try There Will Be Blood, Magnolia, Boogie Nights and Punch-Drunk Love.