The Best Action Thriller Of The Year Has A Sneaky Star Wars Connection

"One Battle After Another is an instant classic for so many reasons, including its colorful band of characters. Director Paul Thomas Anderson has long known how to create an unforgettable ensemble, andfrom Benicio Del Toro's effortlessly cool sensei to Teyana Taylor's irrepressible revolutionary, Anderson's latest is full of indelible heroes and villains. It's all anchored by a subversive performance from Leonardo DiCaprio, whose boozy former rebel, Bob Ferguson, finds himself utterly unprepared for the next wave of the revolution."

"When his daughter Willa (Chase Infiniti) is captured by a bogeyman from his past, Bob has to leap into action to rescue her. The only problem is that he's on the run from those same forces, and barely has the time to escape his home before they knock on his door. That means that, for the majority of the movie, Bob is stuck in the outfit he wears to get high on the couch."

"DiCaprio was careful to choose a look for Bob that reflected his subversive form of heroism. "Think about The Dude, if he was put into a modern context and was a revolutionary," DiCaprio said. "We had a lot of discussions, because I have one costume. Bob's got his cape: the red robe he was getting stoned in at home alone when giant forces tried to ruin his life.""

One Battle After Another centers on Bob Ferguson, a boozy former rebel who must rescue his daughter Willa after she is captured by a bogeyman from his past. Bob is on the run from those same forces, leaving him largely immobilized in his apartment and wearing a ratty plaid bathrobe as his single costume. The robe references The Big Lebowski's Dude and signals Bob's subversive heroism: relentless pursuit rather than traditional valor. Leonardo DiCaprio helped shape the character's look, rejecting a military poncho and influencing the robe and visor-like sunglasses. The film features a colorful ensemble including Benicio Del Toro and Teyana Taylor, anchored by DiCaprio's subversive lead performance.

Read at Inverse