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 ," New York Magazine , Nov 1, 2025 Armond White, " There Will Be Bloodlust in One Battle After Another ," National Review , Sept 26, 2025 Richard Brody, " The Real Battle of 'One Battle After Another ,'" New Yorker , Oct 7, 2025 ...and don't forget to subscribe to Know Your Enemy on Patreon for access to all of our bonus episodes!
