Sean Penn is being tipped for an Oscar following his "weird and vile" performance in One Battle After Another.
Paul Thomas Anderson’s latest film has hit theaters, and it’s already making waves with critics and audiences alike.
Based loosely on Thomas Pynchon’s 1990 novel Vineland, the movie is a politically charged action-thriller that pulls no punches in its commentary on contemporary issues.
The plot follows Bob Ferguson, played by Leonardo DiCaprio, a former revolutionary living in paranoia with his daughter, Willa.
When she goes missing, he’s forced to reunite with his old comrades, including his estranged girlfriend, Perfidia, portrayed by Teyana Taylor, to confront a dangerous group of white supremacists.
Among the film’s standout performances is Sean Penn’s portrayal of Colonel Steven J. Lockjaw, a military leader bent on hunting down DiCaprio’s character and his allies.
The 65-year-old's performance has garnered significant attention for its intensity, with many praising him for bringing a chilling energy to the role.
Oscar Buzz for Penn's Villainous Role
The movie has been a hit, scoring a 95% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, and fans are already tipping Penn for a potential Oscar nomination.
One Reddit user wrote: “Sean Penn deserves an Oscar for this film. He's on another level of weird and vile in this. Do NOT wait to stream this, go watch it in theater."
Another echoed these sentiments, saying: "The movie only works because Sean Penn played Lockjaw so convincingly. I know he's just an actor, but I could feel myself viscerally hating him everytime he was on screen and dreading what he might do next. Penn's job was to sell the stakes and he absolutely delivered. Leo was Leo, and Leo's always great, but Sean Penn really knocked it out of the park.”
A third commenter agreed, adding: "Yup, saw it in IMAX, and it definitely heightened the full experience. Just wow!” While DiCaprio’s performance is also receiving praise, many argue that Penn truly steals the show.
“All-time villain performance for me! Not quite on the level of Hans Landa, but personally, I think it’s the best villain performance I have seen since,” one user shared.
Penn's Political Outspokenness and Real-Life Parallels
Penn’s performance seems to draw from his own outspoken political views. The actor has long been known for his activism, frequently criticizing President Donald Trump and expressing his concerns about global issues.
His remarks about the 79-year-old's handling of the COVID-19 pandemic - calling it an assault on vulnerable communities - resonated deeply with his audience.
In addition to this, Penn has met with controversial leaders, such as Cuba’s Raúl Castro and Venezuela’s Hugo Chávez, and he has been an ardent supporter of Ukraine, visiting the country multiple times since Russia’s 2022 invasion. He even famously presented one of his Oscars to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
In an interview with Vanity Fair, he reflected on the growing cultural relevance of the themes explored in One Battle After Another, admitting that he was “not surprised at all” by the increasing violence and political tension in the world, such as Charlie Kirk's death.
In the same interview, Penn described how he felt when first introduced to the character of Colonel Lockjaw. “I absolutely wanted to do it,” he said, admitting that he had no idea what the film would ultimately explore. “When it was this, I knew I was in for something.”
The Mystic River star compared working with Anderson to collaborating with legendary director Hal Ashby, praising Anderson’s ability to create diverse and unpredictable worlds with each of his films.
“Paul, he’s sort of like Hal Ashby. Each movie is coming from a different world, a different tone. He’s so diverse in this way that there was no anticipating what it was going to be,” he reflected.
You can watch One Battle After Another in theatres.