The Master Review

Rated R (Sexual Content, Graphic Nudity and Language)

Running Time: 2 Hours & 17 Minutes

Cast-

Joaquin Phoenix-Freddie Quell

Philip Seymour Hoffman-Lancaster Dodd

Amy Adams-Peggy Dodd

Ambyr Childers-Elizabeth Dodd

Jesse Plemons-Val Dodd

Rami Malek-Clark

Laura Dern-Helen Sullivan

Madisen Beaty-Doris Solstad

Lena Endre-Mrs. Solstad

Patty McCormack-Mildred Drummond

Christopher Evan Welch-John More

Directed by Paul Thomas Anderson

The master and the student: Joaquin Phoenix and Philip Seymour Hoffman deliver powerful performances in Paul Thomas Anderson's latest film, "The Master."

Belief is a dangerous animal. If you're a frequent subway commuter like me, then you'll surely remember all the billboards from Family Radio proclaiming that the end of the world was to take place on May 21, 2011. Using some very fuzzy math and shaky dates gleaned from the Bible, the radio station's co-founder, Harold Camping, predicted that the Rapture would occur at 6 pm local time, where approximately 200 million Christians (3% of the world's population) would ascend to Heaven while the rest of us suffer a grisly fate for the next five months before the world finally goes kaput on October 21. Obviously, none of this came to pass since yours truly is still here typing away but Camping and his followers illustrate an interesting phenomenon about the way people search for meaning in their lives. How else can you explain all these new 'religions' that seemingly pop up everyday like Scientology or the Falun Gong? Director Paul Thomas Anderson dissects the nature of these grassroots, pseudo-religious cults in his latest film, "The Master," through the lens of two men and the unlikely friendship that forms between them. If you've seen Anderson's previous film, 2007's "There Will Be Blood" starring Daniel Day-Lewis, then you already know that the critically-acclaimed filmmaker has a knack for not only challenging himself but also challenging his audience. It's more appropriate to call his films works of literature given the complexity that surrounds them. A densely layered character drama framed in gorgeous 65mm by Anderson, "The Master" is as engrossing as it is frustrating; this is a film that will confound all but the most ardent of cineastes yet this ambiguity is precisely why it's so captivating, inviting a kind of introspection that hasn't been seen since 2011's "The Tree of Life." Joaquin Phoenix and Philip Seymour Hoffman deliver powerful performances in this tale of clashing personalities. 

Freddie Quell (Joaquin Phoenix) is a man without purpose. A World War II veteran who served in the United States Navy, Quell suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder and struggles to adjust to a postwar society after being discharged due to an unknown medical condition. Prone to violent outbursts and obsessed with sex, he spends his time getting drunk and brewing his own alcoholic beverages using torpedo fuel and paint thinner. While working at a cabbage farm, Quell shares some of his homemade moonshine with another farmer. However, the farmer dies from alcohol poisoning and Quell is subsequently chased off the farm. With nowhere to go, an intoxicated Quell seeks refuge on a yacht owned by Lancaster Dodd (Philip Seymour Hoffman), the leader of a strange religious movement known as 'The Cause.' Dodd takes an immediate liking to Quell and invites him to stay for his daughter's (Ambyr Childers) wedding if he can make more of his 'magic potion.' Quell later agrees to become Dodd's 'guinea pig' and helps the charismatic leader spread his teachings. Unfortunately, Quell's wild and unpredictable behavior soon becomes a cause for concern among Dodd's followers and his wife Peggy (Amy Adams). 

"The Master" is one of the most challenging films I've seen since I began writing film reviews and I have to admit that I wasn't sure if I liked it or not when I left the theater. As I started to analyze what I've seen, my appreciation for the film grew exponentially, although it practically begs for a second viewing. This is really a work of literature disguised as a film because there are just so many layers within the narrative. The story is deceptively simple; it's about an emotionally damaged man falling under the thrall of a charismatic religious leader yet within that framework, Anderson works in a multitude of themes that not only explore the nature and allure of fringe religions but also man's constant struggle with his animalistic impulses. Most importantly, the film is about our innate need for companionship. Much has been made about the film's connection to Scientology and Anderson has stated that he conducted extensive research into Dianetics, a set of ideas and practices created by L. Ron Hubbard that stresses the metaphysical relationship between the body and the mind. One element of Dianetics is a procedure called 'auditing' where a series of questions are asked in an attempt to remove traumatic or painful experiences of the past. When Quell agrees to be Dodd's 'guinea pig,' he is subjected to 'Processing,' which operates in very much same way as 'auditing.' The nature of 'The Cause' in the film centers on the belief that humans are all living past versions of themselves and that traumatic experiences from one version can negatively affect a person once they are reincarnated. This is similar to the concept of 'thetans,' immortal spiritual beings trapped on Earth in a 'meat body.' However, Dodd's pseudo-religion is not the focus of the film and is merely used as a backdrop for its themes. 

What Anderson is really concerned with is how someone with such outlandish ideas can charm people into believing them and becoming fanatical followers. We first meet Freddie during his final days as a sailor in the United States Navy and it's immediately clear that there's something off about him. When a military doctor conducts a Rorschach test on him, every image reminds Freddie of male or female genitals. It is revealed through flashbacks that he was once in love with a girl named Doris (Madisen Beaty) and there's a feeling that Freddie chooses to initially stay with 'The Cause' to fill an emotional void. It's a place where he is accepted and given a sense of purpose. His friendship with Lancaster Dodd lies at the heart of "The Master." Charismatic and charming, Dodd uses his oratory skills to enthrall a group of followers to spread his teachings but he also has a temper that threatens to overwhelm him. During an intense scene, a man named John More (Christopher Evan Welch) expresses his skepticism on how 'Processing' can cure leukemia and Dodd loses control for an instant, calling More a 'pig fu*k.' Some critics have mentioned that Freddie is literally Dodd's 'mad dog slave' or a surrogate son but there appears to be a homosexual component to their relationship. There's an eerie scene where Dodd's wife Peggy masturbates him, reassuring Dodd to stay true to 'The Cause' while repeatedly saying 'cum for me.' It's almost as if Dodd is sexually repressed. 

Late in the film, Freddie travels to London to meet with Dodd one last time. He is confronted by Peggy, who insists that he has no intention of changing his life around and staying true to 'The Cause.' Dodd gives Freddie a choice: stay with him for the rest of his life so that he can be fully 'cured' or leave and never come back. Freddie chooses to leave and Dodd bizarrely sings Frank Loesser's (I'd Like to Get You On A) Slow Boat to China as a farewell. It's as if Dodd is mourning the loss of a lover instead of a friend. Freddie sheds a tear at this and it would appear that 'The Cause' had a much bigger effect on him than we initially thought as he lies in the arms of a woman during coitus, asking her the very same questions Dodd asked him during 'Processing.' The film cuts to Freddie lying next to the sand-woman in the beginning, a culmination of his journey for companionship, to be accepted, to be loved. Shot in 65mm, "The Master" is a dazzling, richly detailed work of art, with every scene featuring stunning clarity and depth. The opening shot of the ocean is so real that you can almost reach out and touch it. It lends the film a hypnotic quality, which is ironic given the subject matter. Mihai Malăimare, Jr.'s marvelous cinematography succinctly captures the postwar optimism of the 1950's while Jonny Greenwood (of Radiohead) contributes a haunting score, filled with an underlying sadness and discordant themes that mimic the chaos of Freddie's emotional impulses and his journey to overcome them. 

However, the one element that will leave an indelible mark on audiences is the performances. No amount of praise can do them justice. This is Joaquin Phoenix's first starring role since his 2010 mockumentary "I'm Still Here" (where he announced his 'retirement' from acting in order to transition to a 'career' as a hip-hop artist) and he is absolutely mesmerizing as Freddie Quell. With his awkward gait and twitchy mannerisms, the actor fully loses himself in the character. You can feel Quell's emotions bubbling underneath the surface and threatening to overwhelm him yet Phoenix always restrains himself just enough to avoid going over-the-top. Philip Seymour Hoffman delivers on another career-defining performance as Lancaster Dodd, bringing to life a character filled with nuance and mystery. These two actors is the reason that "The Master" is so magnetic and captivating. Whenever the two are on-screen, the film just comes alive and grabs hold of you. To not at least nominate them for an Academy Award would be a great travesty. Finally, there's Amy Adams as Dodd's perpetually pregnant wife Peggy and although her role is small, her presence can still be felt throughout the film. Adams' innocent features mask her character's icy demeanor and sometimes we're left wondering who the true 'master' really is. 

Shown as a 'surprise screening' back in August at the American Cinematheque, "The Master" officially premiered at the 69th Venice International Film Festival before being released on September 14, 2012 in a limited number of theaters. Although it expanded a week later, the film failed to find much of an audience due to its ambiguous nature, which is not a surprise. Films of an intellectually stimulating sort have always appealed to a niche group. That's not me being pretentious, that's me stating the truth. Reviews have been largely positive with 85% on Rotten Tomatoes as critics hailed it as 'smart, powerfully acted, beautifully filmed, and solidly engrossing.' Unfortunately, I fear that the film will suffer a similar fate like Terrence Malick's "The Tree of Life" and get snubbed at the Oscars with a perfunctory Best Picture nod. Whether it receives any lasting accolades or not, "The Master" is far and away the best film of 2012. Paul Thomas Anderson has crafted an extraordinary work of art that is brought to life with three of the finest performances of the year. A cinematic experience unlike any other, see "The Master" now before it disappears from theaters.

Final Rating: 5 out of 5

"I am a writer, a doctor, a nuclear physicist and a theoretical philosopher. But above all, I am a man, a hopelessly inquisitive man, just like you."