I was inspired to watch One Battle After Another after listening to a New York Times interview with Sean Penn.
Unlike my friend Gregory Maskarinec, I still consume NYT content, including Ezra Klein podcasts. In a David Marchese interview, Penn noted that his performance was "studied and intentional", differing from some of his previous roles.
Penn says that his performance was studied and intentional
I tend to associate Penn with his role as Jeff Spicoli in Fast Times at Ridgemont High (1982). His performance in One Battle After Another is a comic send-up of a white supremacist military man, with a name that reflects end-stage tetanus.
Author's summary: Sean Penn's performance in One Battle After Another is intentionally comedic.