Directed by Paul Thomas Anderson
Starring Joaquin Phoenix, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Amy Adams
Having written and directed two masterpieces, Boogie Nights and There Will Be Blood, and three near-masterpieces, Magnolia, Punch-Drunk Love, and Hard
Eight, a new Paul Thomas Anderson film will always be firmly planted in all
my “most-anticipated film” lists. Rumors
of The Master being PTA’s take on the
early days of Scientology (with the great Philip Seymour Hoffman playing an L.
Ron Hubbard-like figure) had me hooked from the beginning. The release of The Master became more of a cinema event in my mind with each piece
of the puzzle being added: Joaquin
Phoenix returning to the cinema, musical genius Jonny Greenwood writing the
score, and that mesmerizing teaser trailer where Joaquin and Jonny blew my mind
(I must have watched it about 20 times).
Other than the loose framework of a Scientology inspired storyline, The Master was a big mystery that I
couldn’t wait to take a look at.
First, the Scientology bashing hype that preceded The Master should be toned down before
one sees the film. Those looking for
Anderson to tear apart this religion birthed from the mind of a science-fiction
writer may be disappointed. Anderson is
far too good of a filmmaker to take a shot at every pillar supporting their belief
one-by-one. Tenets of the Cause (The
Master’s “Scientology”) are never clearly explained and don’t need to
be. Anderson is interested in the relationships
needed to build one man’s bizarre writings into a full-fledged religious
movement. This decision enables The Master to be richer, more interesting,
and more complex than a straightforward satire of an easy target.
The Master’s first
half hour introduces a complete lost cause named Freddy Quell (Joaquin
Phoenix). While it can be assumed that
his issues existed long before joining the Navy and fighting in the Pacific,
the horrors of World War II exasperated his problems. He moves with twitches and talks in
mumbles. He is inappropriately obsessed
with sex. He has a short fuse that
easily resorts to violence when questioned by authority. He is in alcoholic who uses paint thinner and
photography chemicals in his cocktails. An inability to hold down a job logically
follows. Poor Freddy fought to protect
his county but has been left behind in society’s fringes during peacetime. A man in such a dire condition would clearly
be vulnerable to any group, religion, or cult’s friendly invitations, which is
where the Cause enters the picture.
The film’s “L. Ron Hubbard” is a man named Lancaster Dodd
(Philip Seymour Hoffman), who claims to be “a writer, a doctor, a nuclear
physicist, a theoretical philosopher, and above all, a man.” When we meet Dodd, it is easy to understand
why so many choose to follow him. He
speaks in a way that sounds important and intelligent. He is a raconteur with a plethora of
stories. He entertains his guests with
song and dance. He makes all his friends
feel wanted and loved. And Dodd instantly
welcomes Freddy into his inner-circle, forming a “master and protégé”
relationship that centers the film.
Other than to the desperate and lonely, like Freddy Quell, or the wealthy and bored, who continually give Dodd money and invite his entourage
into their homes, Dodd's charisma is clearly superficial. It is here where Anderson subtly pokes holes
in the Cause’s logic. To the audience,
he is more of a pompous attention whore than the well-intentioned genius his
followers paint him as. Dodd’s
self-assuredness begins to crack with every criticism of the Cause thrown his
way. The methods that seem plausibly
helpful at first begin to look absurd with the more time spent in Dodd’s
presence. He is hack, a charismatic hack
with a talent for recruiting followers.
Freddy Quell becomes his most devoted follower, though his instability
leads people in the Cause other than Dodd to question his commitment.
At its core, The
Master is a mystery about what links these two trouble men together so
closely. What is it that Dodd sees in
Freddy that his other followers do not?
Why does Freddy, a man always troubled by authority, become Dodd’s “guinea
pig” so freely? Many questions enter the
mind while watching The Master, and Anderson never gives the audience
an easy answer.
This film benefits from an interesting plot, which I believe
gets better the longer one has to mull it over.
It is also a picture worthy of viewing on its technical aspects
alone. With every new film, Paul Thomas
Anderson proves why he is one of our preeminent filmmakers. The
Master is a beautiful film that can fill you with awe in one moment and
discomfort in the next. From the early
brilliant images of Freddy at sea in the Navy, working in lettuce fields as a
migrant worker, and snapping lifeless portraits at a department store, you instantly
know that the man behind the picture is a rare talent. Brilliant images continue from beginning to
end. I believe The Master is the kind of film that can be thoroughly enjoyed
without sound, like Anderson’s There Will
Be Blood, because the visuals are so strong.
And like There Will Be
Blood, Jonny Greenwood’s amazing score adds more meaning to every
visual. Whatever scene we are looking
at, such as the distant mountains in an empty desert, the beautiful blue wake
behind an ocean steamer, or the straightforward close-ups during an
interrogation, is given a sense of uneasiness by Jonny’s music. The out-of-rhythm mix of percussion and
strings always tells you that something is not right with the Cause no matter
how much Freddy smiles or how friendly Dodd seems. There is a feel that a clock is ticking
throughout the film, but Anderson never reveals what it is ticking toward,
which is all the more frustrating, and, in a strange way, exciting.
Of course, the cast of heavyweight actors is The Master’s strongest selling
point. Joaquin Phoenix and Philip
Seymour Hoffman are so different but equally memorable. Phoenix, who has returned from his hoax
retirement in full force, is terrifying and heart breaking as a man constantly
on the edge. You spend the movie afraid
of him and afraid for him, wanting his Freddy to find some sense of comfort in
his life but distrusting the route in which he achieves it (if ever at
all). Hoffman’s performance is less
“in your face” but just as effective.
He completely embodies this man so intensely full of himself that you
question whether or not he knows how much his beliefs sound like bullshit. Whether he is a true believer or a con man
just as lost as his followers is somewhat unclear. These are two unbelievably complex
performances and absolute joys to behold.
There are many films yet to come out in 2012, and films I have yet to
see, but it would be shocking if someone other than these two takes home the
Best Actor Oscar. Now, which of the two
would be more deserving is ripe for serious debate.
Amy Adams is also excellent as Dodd’s wife. Like Hoffman’s performance, the exterior and
interior of her character seem to vary greatly.
She is a sweet and motherly woman on the outside with a dark intensity underneath that suddenly comes through when the Cause’s legitimacy is
questioned. From top to bottom, the
acting in The Master is better than
you’ll see in most other films.
In the day since I saw The
Master, my enthusiasm for the film has grown. It is one of those films that is a little
difficult to process right when the credits roll (very similar to There Will Be Blood). But after taking a day to think to myself and
talk to others about it, I like the film more and more. You have to accept that this will not present
the founding of Scientology (or something similar) and answer all your
questions in a neat 140-minute package.
It does, however, show the kinds of personalities and relationships necessary
to build this kind of movement. And that
story is fascinating, especially when told by people like Paul Thomas
Anderson, Joaquin Phoenix, Philip Seymour Hoffman, and Amy Adams.
Whenever my second viewing of The Master comes, I am sure I will find new things to appreciate
and appreciate that which stood out before in different ways (the mark at the bottom of this post may get bumped from an 8 to a 9). Going in to the theater, this film was a
mystery to me. Now that I know what to
expect, I am prepared to dive deeper into what PTA has presented to us. Hopefully I get to do so sooner rather than later.
Mark it 9.
Hey Zack, nice review as usual. It is a great movie, like most of PTAs it gets better in your mind the more it stews around in there, and it is hard to get it out.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, I agree with most everything that you have to say, all the superlatives are warranted, however, I believe I have a different reading of Freddy Quill. Maybe you didn't state this in your review to keep it from getting into spoiler territory, however, I disagree with one statement in your review. Warning: Spoiler territory, I thought, rather than being The Cause's most devoted member, Freddy was one of its most conflicted.
He wanted deeply to believe the Master, and find a true path for his life, to give it meaning and direction. But he couldn't, as hard as he tried, and try hard he did, reconcile what he wanted to believe, with what he did truly believed, which is that it is all a bunch of hokum.
The reason he beat up and physically attacked the characters that he did was not because he was a true defender, but because, the verbalized the doubt in his own mind, and like most school bullies, he took his own self-doubts and self-loathing out on those who reminded him of his own faults.
This reading, I believe, is much more complicated, and richer. It makes Freddy a sympathetic character, as difficult and often frightening as he is. He is a troubled, lost soul, looking for a home when there is none to be had, and thus tragic. Which makes the small bit of peace that he finds at the very end, even if just in a fleeting moment, a quietly moving finale.
I would mark it a 9. I know I'm in the minority here, but I liked it as much, maybe, just maybe even a little better than TWB, but I have to watch both again to reassess each.
Just picking knits here, but what I said was that Freddie was "his" most devoted follower, referring to the Master (Dodd) more so than the Cause itself... which I think fits along the lines you were writing about. I agree that Freddy is never 100% sold on what the Master is selling, but just is committed to the love and interest that Dodd shows in what most regard as a lost soul. I think my take on Freddy (sympathetic, but frightening, etc.) is pretty much aligned with yours.
DeleteBut good points on your part... and The Master will likely be an easy 9 after I re-watch it (There Will Be Blood is a 10 in my book)
Yeah, that makes sense when you say it that way. What I liked most about this movie were the many scenes where Phoenix and Hoffman basically face off, head to head, in acting mastery, each playing off each other, each bringing totally different styles, and both just displaying master class level acting together. Rare that you see the huge performance in the same film that work as well as the one Phoenix and Hoffman deliver, and it was a joy to behold.
ReplyDeleteAnd this may be the main reason why I like the Master as much, maybe more, than TWBB, because Dano was never able to hold his own against a master actor, whereas Phoenix most definitely did. I guess I never really believed Dano as his character, and it was such an important role in TWBB that it did bring me out of most of the scenes he was in just a little bit. Maybe, however, I should blame PTA for his casting choice. I just don't think Dano had the chops.