As a HUGE fan of Paul Thomas Anderson, I couldn't wait to see THE MASTER. While its like a master class in acting and writing, I would be hard pressed to call it entertainment.
Joaquin Phoenix is incredible and disturbing as social misfit Freddie Quell.
As WW2 ends, Freddie leaves the Navy and tries to immerse himself in the traditional world with little success. His sexual, anger and social issues leave him craving only his homemade hooch, a lethal blend of alcohol. Phoenix is excellent in the part and nearly painful to watch as he bears his ugly, angry soul.
Stowing aboard a boat, he meets The Master, Lancaster Dodd, leader of a Scientology-like religious cult. Phillip Seymour Hoffman is fantastic as Dodd, capturing the charisma and gravitas of the type of man that can collect followers with an empty, silly message (don't get me started!).
Dodd seems to feed off of Freddy, stirring his own bad impulses as Freddy simultaneously finds some measure of solace in Dodd's words and presence.
Amy Adams surprised me as Peggy Dodd, showing a lot more dramatic range that she ever has before as the strong woman behind Dodd.
Watching how these characters circle each other, each in their own pain and insecurities is a testament to Anderson as a director and writer. Just as he did in the brilliant "There Will Be Blood" he makes you care for people with few redeeming qualities, some of whom don't even seem to care about themselves.
It's a master class in writing, acting, photography and direction. It features a masterful score by Jonny Greenwood.
But these people are so dark, so unhappy, so self indulgent that it's hard to call 144 minutes with them entertainment.
As he did with "Magnolia" and "There Will Be Blood" Anderson did suck me into these people's lives and it's a brilliant, ADULT, depressing movie. Unlike those two films though, I don't have any desire to revisit these folks anytime in the foreseeable future.
The Master gets a B.
Comments