One Podcast After Another (w/ Jesse Brenneman)

Given the not-terribly-uplifting streak of episodes we've had lately, we thought it was time for a Know Your Enemy movie night, and were joined by the podcast's intrepid producer, Jesse Brenneman, for a conversation about Paul Thomas Anderson's 2025 film, One Battle After Another. Its tagline—"When their evil enemy resurfaces after 16 years, a group of ex-revolutionaries reunite to rescue the daughter of one of their own"—suggests why all three of us absolutely loved it. We discuss: the film's relationship to the contemporary United States, and what it might reveal about our political situation; how it portrays both the left and the right; the family drama at the heart of the film, and the connection between origin and identity, personally and politically; the way Ronald Reagan haunts a surprising number of its scenes; and more!
Spoiler alert: we offer a quick plot summary for those who haven't (yet!) seen One Battle After Another, but that does mean certain surprises will be spoiled for you.
Sources:
Sam Adler-Bell, "The Fantasy of Assassination Culture (nymag.com/intelligencer/article/one-battle-aft…)," New York Magazine, Nov 1, 2025
Armond White, "There Will Be Bloodlust in One Battle After Another (nationalreview.com/2025/09/there-will-be-blood…)," National Review, Sept 26, 2025
Richard Brody, "The Real Battle of 'One Battle After Another (newyorker.com/culture/the-front-row/the-real-b…),'" New Yorker, Oct 7, 2025
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