With a movie that feels so relevant to the current political and social reformations of modern America, this was a cruel divergence in wasted potential. As a Black and mixed-race woman, who also lives where the movie was set, I know how prevalent these issues are to myself, the community and friends I know. So when I left the theater, I was a bit perplexed and disappointed. “One Battle After Another” is a well-made movie with nothing to say. It has the rebellious spirit — but no actual cause behind the revolt. This film was not about any particular revolution nor any reason for defiance but instead romanticizes the idea of revolution itself.

What do you do when, after 16 years of solace, you must rejoin a cause you thought you left behind?