The Master (2012)
Certified: 18
Duration: 143 minutes
Directed by: Paul Thomas Anderson
Starring: Joaquin Phoenix, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Amy Adams, Ambyr Childers, Jesse Plemons, Rami Malek, Laura Dern, Madisen Beaty
KRS release
The Master – already a recipient of various awards – is a strong, intense drama directed by Paul Thomas Anderson. The director manages to bring out riveting performances of his main protagonists and imbues his film with intelligence, spirituality and creativity.
After serving in World War II, Naval veteran Freddie Quell (Joaquin Phoenix) suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder and has become aggressive, an alcoholic and a wanderer. One night, while intoxicated, he stows away on a yacht that is about to depart from San Francisco to New York.
The yacht happens to belong to Lancaster Dodd (Seymour Hoffman), the leader of a philosophical movement known as The Cause, and a novelist. When he is discovered, Lancaster invites Freddie to stay and attend his daughter Elizabeth’s (Ambry Childers) wedding to Clark (Rami Malek).
On the ship there are also Lancaster’s pregnant wife Peggy (Amy Adams) and their adult son Val (Jesse Plemons).
Freddie thinks it to be a crazy situation but they are all quite amicable to him. In fact, Lancaster believes he knows Freddie from another life in his past and thus he dotes on him.
The film follows Freddie’s relationship with the group and Lancaster in the trip to New York, Philadelphia and Phoenix. Lancaster is working on his second book and is also intent on helping Freddie become a fulfilled person and strip off his troubles.
The Master’s story bears many similarities to the Church of Scientology founder Lafayette Ron Hubbard’s time after World War II. While the similarities between The Cause as depicted in the film and the Church of Scientology are obvious, the movie is not out to slag Tom Cruise’s ideology. It is more of a look into the rapport between the two men and the connection of two different souls that seem to be travelling along parallel lines.
Unlike Anderson’s There Will Be Blood (2007), which concluded in bombastic and over-the-top acting, The Master is a film about control, restraint and power.
Phoenix’s performance is raw and nerve-wracking, as he ably plays a man intent on self-destruction, a man whose soul is lost and who seems to be determined not to redeem himself.
Meanwhile, Seymour Hoffman is focused, resourceful and is almost scientific in his acting approach.
Among the supporting cast, Adams stands out with her subdued yet very firm and strong performance.
The Master is given additional shades by the cinematography of Mihai Malaimare Jr and Radiohead’s own Jonny Greenwood, whose musical score gives the movie its unique background.