Film Review: The Master

Directed and written by: Paul Thomas Anderson. Stars: Joaquin Phoenix, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Amy Adams. Released September 2012

After two attempts to view The Master during TIFF, I finally was able to see it the old fashioned way once it was officially released. On top of the critical buzz and acclaim that the film is receiving, I’m also a fan of Paul Thomas Anderson’s work (There Will be Blood, Magnolia, Punch Drunk Love) and was eager to see Joaquin Phoenix’s return from “retirement” after three years since his last film.

I will admit that I didn’t fully understand the film. I’m still thinking about it and trying to make complete sense of it, so please bear with me. I actually see that as both a negative and positive for the film.  A second viewing is in order at some point.  It’s not the easiest film to talk about without seeing it and I don’t want to give much away. It's not the most linear and straight forward of films, and with the slow pace and being two hours and 20 minutes long, it may not be for everyone. It reminded me of French Noir or Italian Neo-Realism type films of the 1950’s and 1960’s where we seem to only get a glimpse of the character's lives and not the whole story, where there is no clear cut beginning -middle-end. We get jumps in time (both forward and back), and certain plot points are not fully explained.

I bet you REALLY want to see it now! I just had to get all that out of the way before I get to why I did overall enjoy the film and why for film lovers it is worth to see it.

Before I continue I want to share a few lines from Canadian film critic Richard Crouse 's review of the film that may also help to clear my and your confusion.

“It’s impossible to deny the correlation between “The Master” and the origins of Scientology. No story about a midcentury mystic starting a religion based on sci fi could avoid the comparison, but Tom Cruise and John Travolta needn’t boycott the film. Director Paul Thomas Anderson simply uses the birth of the religion as a backdrop for a study in extreme behavior focusing on two troubled men, Lancaster Dodd (Philip Seymour Hoffman) and Freddie Quell (Joaquin Phoenix).

Quell, a WWII vet with a taste for gut rot hooch and post traumatic stress disorder drifts through life until he meets Dodd, a self described "writer, doctor, nuclear physicist, theoretical philosopher [and] hopelessly inquisitive man." Dodd is the godhead of a new movement called The Cause aimed at maximizing human potential. His disciples, who believe his mix of sci fi and religion will rid them of past trauma, call him the Master.

[...]

“The Master” won’t satisfy those who like their stories tied up in neat bows. It is an enigmatic story about impenetrable people; an opaque, singular experience that is best thought of as a tone poem about man’s aspirations and failures.”

For more of Richard’s review-http://www.richardcrouse.ca/2322/index.html

The performances are what stand out and are the most memorable about the film, Joaquin as Freddie in particular. To me it is his best performance (and yes I’m including Walk the Line, Two Lovers and Gladiator). As mentioned before, Freddie Quell is a very troubled man and full of pain, emotionally, mentally and physically. My back hurt just watching Joaquin hunch over like he was Quasimodo. You feel for him and then you are angry at him. He embodies his character completely. The minor complaint is that since Freddie’s left half his face is suffering some nerve damage (probably from his self made moonshine) there were times at the start I found it difficult to understand what he was saying. Again it’s minor and no doubt Joaquin will be seen come awards season. Not just one of the strongest performances of the year, but last few years.

Philip Seymour Hoffman is powerful as the titled Master and matches Phoenix perfectly. Richard Crouse is right in his review when he says had this film been done during Hollywood’s golden era, Orson Welles would have played Lancaster Dodd. He’s charming, he’s intimidating and powerful but approachable as well, but something not really right underneath it all. He embodies everything that you think a leader of a movement (cult?) would have to have.

With the two performances of Phoenix and Hoffman matching one another and playing off each other so well, the dynamic, energy and chemistry between the two is awesome.

Amy Adams rounds out the strong cast as Lancastar’s wife. On paper reading about the character she would not have been the first to come to mind, but she shows her versatility once again.  This is most likely my vain side coming out, but I was surprised that they seemed to have aged Amy up and ugglied her up as well. Add the grandma like wardrobe (so sad for a film taking place in 1950 when there was such beautiful clothing that time).  It works in the end for the tough as nails wife.

It is also a technically well done film. It includes some of the best tracking shots and long shots I've seen recently . The close ups are not overdone and thus maximize the emotional impact. Typical of Anderson’s recent style.Anderson once again teams up with his There Will Be Blood composer, the talented Jonny Greenwood (Radiohead) for an intense original soundtrack. 

The Master is more than just is it about Scientology or not? Yes, religion or cult is a theme, but it is also about man (or humans) place in the world, betrayal and friendship, goals and failures. These are themes that anyone can relate to.