Paul Thomas Anderson Movies: Ranked! (And discussion)

[The Firebird]

The protagonists were also caricatures. The stuff that French 75 members yell all sounds good in isolation, maybe, but doesn't add up to a coherent worldview or overall goal.

And the inability of the guy working the phones midway through the movie to give a straight answer in the middle of an active crisis because he felt obliged to do a bunch of performative stuff was a pretty sharp critique, for instance.

Yeah, totally agree with you there! The way some of the characters,

Spoiler: spoiler

after a harrowing escape, are caught because they relax by drinking and driving,

is another instance. And it doesn't seem like anyone has learned anything by the end. It's incompetence vs cruelty, forever.

Anyway, in general I think satire just doesn't do it for me.

 

[Mannahnin]

The protagonists were also caricatures. The stuff that French 75 members yell all sounds good in isolation, maybe, but doesn't add up to a coherent worldview or overall goal.

And the inability of the guy working the phones midway through the movie to give a straight answer in the middle of an active crisis because he felt obliged to do a bunch of performative stuff was a pretty sharp critique, for instance.

Agreed on all of that.

Just watched this Saturday night and quite liked it, though it wasn't up there with There Will Be Blood or Magnolia or Boogie Nights, for me. Still very good, good satire, and pleasantly topical. I felt like the silly bits and names were JUST silly enough to put a pinch of sugar on the satire. The Christmas Adventurers' (WS) Club secret society felt close enough to reality for the humor to be dark. Col. Lockjaw felt like a worthy nod to Gen. Ripper from Dr. Strangelove, especially with the reference to precious bodily fluids.

I agree that the French 75 didn't seem to be role models or great folks to emulate, even if (some of) their hearts were in the right place. The later revolutionaries seemed better, especially Benicio del Toro's character and his outfit and network, though even they had their foibles and flaws. Charlene/Willa also really seemed to have her head on straight, and I felt a bit of a redeeming note in how the young people we see appear resilient and adaptable, indicating there's still some hope.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

Yeah, del Toro's statement that their revolution has been going on much longer and in parallel to what the movement the French 75 were part of was a pretty key quote, to my mind. The revolution is an ongoing process, not a one and done effort, even as folks like Bob drop out of the active fight.