This article contains spoilers.
As Paul Thomas Anderson’s film, “One Battle After Another,” draws to a close, a distinctive guitar riff and energetic drumbeat signal the arrival of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers’ iconic song, “American Girl.” It’s a moment that instantly makes you want to tap your feet and sing along.
This final musical choice, often called an “Anderson needle drop,” immediately joins the ranks of his most memorable song placements, alongside “Sister Christian” in “Boogie Nights” and “Wise Up” in “Magnolia.” But “American Girl” isn’t just about its catchy tune; its profound lyrical themes and storied history in cinema make it a particularly impactful selection for Anderson’s newest epic.
While “American Girl” might initially sound like a cheerful tribute to the nation, a closer listen reveals a more complex narrative of desperation and shattered aspirations. This underlying depth makes it an ideal fit for Anderson’s dramatic tale.
Interestingly, “American Girl” isn’t a hidden gem you might expect from Anderson, who is known for his deep musical knowledge. It’s a hugely popular track, famously covered by artists like Taylor Swift, and has been featured extensively across films and TV shows, though its impact varies.
The song famously closed the first season of “The Handmaid’s Tale,” setting a chilling backdrop for Margaret Atwood’s dystopian vision of Gilead. In contrast, it opens the 2004 rom-com “Chasing Liberty,” soundtracking Mandy Moore’s character, the president’s daughter, as she playfully prepares for a date in the White House. On “The Sopranos,” Carmela plays it for a comatose Tony, stirring memories of their Long Beach Island trips where the song was a constant presence.
In “One Battle After Another,” “American Girl” accompanies teenage Willa (Chase Infiniti) as she departs her California home, leaving her father Bob (Leonardo DiCaprio) behind for a three-hour journey to a protest in Oakland.
Throughout the film, Willa’s youthful innocence crumbles. She had always known her parents were radical revolutionaries, but she believed her mother, Perfidia Beverly Hills (Teyana Taylor), died a martyr. However, while escaping the relentless Col. Steven J. Lockjaw (Sean Penn), Willa discovers a shocking truth: her mother betrayed the French 75, a far-left group. This revelation, among others, shatters her perception of her already troubled family.
Despite these profound betrayals, Willa doesn’t succumb to despair. Instead, she chooses to embrace her parents’ controversial legacy. As “American Girl” plays, she steps out, determinedly choosing an optimistic path to fight for a brighter future, even if success seems distant.
Image: Chase Infiniti portrays Willa in “One Battle After Another,” depicted in a scene from the film.
Image: Willa chooses to continue her parents’ revolutionary path, even after uncovering difficult truths about her family’s past.
“American Girl” perfectly encapsulates Anderson’s complex portrayal of America: a nation both proud and chaotic. Petty’s melancholic lyrics, which describe a girl “raised on promises” that remain unfulfilled, echo this sentiment. Despite the upbeat rock melody, the song carries a profound sense of disappointment.
Petty’s lyrics, “couldn’t help thinking that there was a little more to life somewhere else,” hint at a longing for an America that hasn’t quite met its own ideals. He later evokes a powerful sense of yearning, singing, “God it’s so painful, something that’s so close and still so far out of reach,” reflecting a pervasive sense of unfulfilled desire.
While these lyrics typically describe a lost love, in the context of Willa’s decision to become an activist, they gain a new resonance. It feels as if Petty is lamenting America itself: the ideals of justice and change that Willa strives for seem perpetually just beyond grasp. Yet, like the “American girl” of the song, she is determined to keep fighting for them.
Furthermore, the song serves as a subtle nod to two influential films that Anderson has openly admired.
The first is the 1982 teen classic, “Fast Times at Ridgemont High,” which Anderson cited as an inspiration for his earlier film, “Licorice Pizza” (2021). In Amy Heckerling’s movie, “American Girl” introduces us to the bustling high school and its nervous freshman, Stacy (Jennifer Jason Leigh), as she navigates the crowded halls. The song’s presence here is as poignant as in “One Battle,” as “Fast Times,” despite its raucous elements, offers a remarkably tender and groundbreaking portrayal of teenage girlhood, including its frank exploration of sex and abortion.
There’s also another intriguing connection that Anderson was probably drawing on: “Fast Times” launched Sean Penn’s career as the laid-back stoner, Jeff Spicoli. Decades later, in “One Battle After Another,” Penn delivers another unforgettable performance, but this time as a stern military officer with outdated beliefs and the visible weight of years etched on his face.
Roughly a decade after “Fast Times,” Jonathan Demme, a filmmaker Anderson deeply admires, used “American Girl” to chilling effect in “The Silence of the Lambs” (1991). In a haunting scene, a senator’s daughter (Brooke Smith) gleefully sings along in her car, moments before being abducted by the serial killer Buffalo Bill. Her vibrant, carefree youth is abruptly and tragically extinguished.
Image: Brooke Smith’s character joyfully sings “American Girl” in a scene from “The Silence of the Lambs,” shortly before a terrifying event.
Anderson has often spoken of his admiration for Demme, recalling how he’d ask himself, “What would Jonathan do?” when facing creative challenges. While Demme’s use of “American Girl” carries a palpable sense of dread absent from Anderson’s scene, Anderson nevertheless channels the underlying tension and peril that Petty masterfully weaves into the song’s fabric.
As Willa departs, Bob urges her to be cautious, but she responds with a defiant smile, “I won’t.” Much like the determined protagonist in Tom Petty’s song, she embodies an unwavering resolve, willing to risk everything to mend a world she perceives as broken.