Here’s a bold statement: the most critically acclaimed film of 2025 might not deserve all the hype—and it’s sparking a heated debate. Bret Easton Ellis, the provocative mind behind American Psycho, has thrown a wrench into the glowing reviews of Paul Thomas Anderson’s One Battle After Another, currently sitting at a staggering 95 on Metacritic. But here’s where it gets controversial: Ellis isn’t just criticizing the film’s artistic merit; he’s calling out liberal critics for praising it primarily because of its political leanings. And this is the part most people miss: Ellis, a self-proclaimed fan of Anderson’s work (he’s even called There Will Be Blood “maybe the best film of this century”), isn’t dismissing the director—he’s questioning the motives behind the film’s near-universal acclaim.
On The Bret Easton Ellis Podcast, the author didn’t hold back. “It’s shocking to see these accolades for a movie that, frankly, isn’t very good—just because it aligns with a leftist ideology,” he said. “Why is it hailed as a masterpiece? Because it checks the right political boxes. It’s not reading the room—it’s reading a tiny corner of it.” Ellis predicts the film will age poorly, becoming a “musty relic of the post-Kamala Harris era,” celebrated more for its message than its actual quality. Bold claim? Maybe. But it’s one that’s hard to ignore when you consider how polarized art and politics have become.
One Battle After Another, loosely inspired by Thomas Pynchon’s Vineland, stars Leonardo DiCaprio as a faded revolutionary forced out of hiding when an old enemy targets his daughter (played by breakout star Chase Infiniti). With a powerhouse cast including Sean Penn, Benicio del Toro, Regina Hall, and Teyana Taylor, the film has Oscar buzz written all over it. Variety’s Owen Gleiberman called it a “mesmerizing vision of a police-state America,” praising its ability to balance urgency with humanity. Since its September 26 release, the film has raked in $114 million globally, marking Anderson’s first $100 million box office hit.
But Ellis isn’t buying it. When one critic called the film “important,” he fired back: “No, it’s not. It hasn’t read the room at all about what’s going on in America.” Here’s the real question: Is Ellis onto something, or is he missing the point? Does art lose its value when it’s overtly political, or is that exactly what makes it powerful? Let’s be honest—this debate isn’t going away anytime soon. So, what do you think? Is One Battle After Another a masterpiece or a relic in the making? Sound off in the comments—this is one conversation you won’t want to miss.
