The 83rd Golden Globes have finally arrived, and while the red carpet is currently buzzing with the usual parade of haute couture and champagne-fueled nerves, the real story is written in the stars of “One Battle After Another.”
Paul Thomas Anderson’s sprawling, subversive take on Thomas Pynchon’s Vineland isn’t just a nominee tonight; it is the gravitational center of the evening. After a massive victory at the Critics Choice Awards last week, the film has transitioned from a critical darling into an unstoppable awards season juggernaut.
With Nikki Glaser returning to host, the atmosphere is electric, and the industry is collectively holding its breath to see if the Hollywood Foreign Press—now in its third year under the new voting body—will lean into the title’s chaotic, brilliant energy or opt for a safer bet.
A Perfect Storm of Star Power and Critical Acclaim
The sheer breadth of categories where the movie is competing tells the story of its dominance. With nominations for Leonardo DiCaprio in Best Actor and newcomer Chase Infiniti in Best Actress, the film has managed to capture both the veteran prestige and the “next big thing” energy that the Globes crave.
DiCaprio’s performance as the paranoid, washed-up revolutionary Bob Ferguson is being hailed as a career-best, blending his trademark intensity with a dry, comedic wit that fits the “Musical or Comedy” category perfectly. If he takes home the trophy tonight, it won’t just be a win for him, but a signal that the night is officially going to belong to the PTA camp.
However, the path to a clean sweep is far from guaranteed. While the film is a favorite in the screenplay and directing categories, it faces stiff competition from Ryan Coogler’s “Sinners” and Chloé Zhao’s “Hamnet,” both of which have their own passionate fanbases within the voting body. The Globes are famous for their love of a good upset, and if “One Battle After Another” loses out on the early supporting categories—specifically where Teyana Taylor and Benicio del Toro are nominated—it could indicate a more divided room than the pundits predicted.
What makes this specific awards run so fascinating is how the picture has resonated with the current cultural moment. Set against a backdrop of a polarized and politically charged America, Anderson’s vision feels less like a period piece and more like a mirror. It is the kind of big swing movie-making that usually divides audiences, yet it has somehow become the consensus pick for the year’s best. Tonight is the ultimate litmus test. If it sweeps the major categories, we are looking at a historic run that will likely carry all the way to the Dolby Theatre in March.
Beyond the trophies, the presence of the cast at the Beverly Hilton tonight has turned the ceremony into a “One Battle” victory lap before it even begins. Warner Bros. has put the full weight of its machine behind the film, and the momentum is palpable. Whether the night ends in a total shutout or a shared podium, Paul Thomas Anderson has already achieved the impossible: he made a high-budget, experimental black comedy the undisputed frontrunner in a year filled with heavy hitters.