The Master (2012)

A Naval veteran arrives home from war unsettled and uncertain of his future - until he is tantalized by The Cause and its charismatic leader.

Director:

Paul Thomas Anderson

Writer:

Paul Thomas Anderson

Stars:

Joaquin Phoenix, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Amy Adams

Nominated for 3 Oscars. Another 60 wins & 67 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Joaquin Phoenix	...	Freddie Quell
Price Carson	...	V.A. Doctor
Mike Howard	...	Rorschach Doctor
Sarah Shoshana David	...	V.A. Nurse
Bruce Goodchild	...	V.A. Doctor / Interview
Matt Hering	...	V.A. Patient
Dan Anderson	...	V.A. Patient
Andrew Koponen	...	V.A. Patient
Jeffrey W. Jenkins	...	V.A. Patient
Patrick Biggs	...	V.A. Patient
Ryan Curtis	...	V.A. Patient
Jay Laurence	...	V.A. Patient
Abraxas Adams	...	V.A. Patient
Tina Bruna	...	Portrait Customer
Kevin Hudnell	...	Portrait Customer

Storyline

Returning from Navy service in World War II, Freddie Quell drifts through a series of PTSD-driven breakdowns. Finally he stumbles upon a cult which engages in exercises to clear emotions and he becomes deeply involved with them.

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Plot Keywords:

navy | right hand man | drifter | cult | cause | 

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Genres:

Drama

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for sexual content, graphic nudity and language

Details

Official Sites:

Official Facebook Official site

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

21 September 2012 (USA)

Also Known As:

Master

Filming Locations:

Oakland, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$32,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

$736,311 (USA) (14 September 2012)

Gross:

$16,377,274 (USA) (15 March 2013)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Weinstein Company, The, Ghoulardi Film Company, Annapurna Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

144 min

Sound Mix:

Datasat Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The ship carrying the cult is named "Alethia", the Greek word for "Truth".

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Goofs

When Freddie is first seen visiting Doris' house, aluminum stick-on numbers are visible in the establishing shot, giving a street number. These numbers didn't' come onto the market until the 1960's- long after the time when the scene takes place.

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Quotes

Lancaster Dodd: What a horrible young man you are. This is acting like an animal. A dirty animal that eats it's own faeces when hungry.

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Crazy Credits

This film has no opening credits.

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Connections

References Let There Be Light (1946)

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Soundtracks

"I'll Go No More A-Rovin'"
Traditional, arranged by Justin Goldman and Hal Willner
Performed by Philip Seymour Hoffman

User Reviews

Most disappointing film of the year

I know, everyone is gushing about this movie. That, on top of the fact that I am a PT Anderson fan (Magnolia, for one, is probably a top 10 favorite of mine), is what made this so disappointing.

First, the good. Amy Adams does very well in a supporting role. The whole thing is beautifully filmed, and I liked the music as well. I thought it captured the feel of the time period very well.

On to the bad (of which there is substantially more, in my view). I'll start with the plot. There is almost none, and the movie has no hook. It never made me forget I was sitting in a movie theater. Its pace is maddeningly slow, and it is too long. A good portion of the film is spent watching Phoenix walk back and forth between a window and a wall for reasons that remain rather opaque. Yes, it's that kind of movie.

I didn't care at all about Phoenix's character or Hoffman's, and despite the rave reviews, I think neither actor brought their A-game to this one. Their characters were one dimensional, unsympathetic, and unrelatable. They didn't feel like real people. They don't really change much over the course of the movie.

What irked me most, though, was that the movie really didn't have anything to say. It had no real insights into anything. It didn't make me think or challenge my mind in any way.

When a movie fails to make me think or feel, as this one did, I can't help but regret spending money on it.