After “There Will Be Blood” came out in 2007 and later earned Daniel Day-Lewis his second Oscar for “Best Actor,” Paul Thomas Anderson (Boogie Nights, Magnolia, Punch-Drunk Love) or PTA for short, worked on his next project, “The Master.” Has zero connection to “Doctor Who.” It’s an original script. It’s about a World War II veteran having a hard time due to his erratic behavior causing him to get fired at his job. One day, he meets a man who’s the founder of a cult called, “The Cause.” Once he’s accepted, the founder teaches the vet the ways of The Cult.
Released in 2012, (same year Django Unchained came out) it received critical acclaim from critics. Joaquin Phoenix, Amy Adams and the late Philip Seymour Hoffman earned Oscar nominations. The only reason I wanna share thoughts on The Master is in fact, PTA’s “One Battle After Another” starring my number one favorite actor, Leonardo DiCaprio will be released on September 26, 2025. Steven Spielberg went to an early screening for One Battle After Another highly praising it. Sounds promising. I cannot wait to see one of my highly anticipated films of 2025.
Today’s review contains no SPOILERS.
Healthy & Unhealthy Aspects
Healthy: Joaquin Phoenix, Philip Seymour Hoffman & Amy Adams all did an excellent job for their respective performances.
Other Cast Members such Jesse Plemons, Rami Malek & Laura Dern all did a solid job for their respective performances.
Paul Thomas Anderson did an amazing job directing his sixth film. He also wrote and co-produced.
Radiohead guitarist and keyboardist, Jonny Greenwood orchestrated the soundtrack.
Cinematography was shot in gorgeous 65 mm. PTA took cues from Kenneth Branagh’s four-hour epic, “Hamlet.” The one with Kate Winslet showing her ta-tas prior to “Titanic.” Like his peers, Quentin Tarantino & Christopher Nolan, PTA prefers to shoot his works in on film rather than digital format like Robert Rodriguez.
Freddie’s chemistry with Dodd serves as the main highlight.
My favorite parts are the processing scene and jail scene. Mr. Phoenix earns Bonus Points for pulling off his dramatic chops. I think Todd Philips casted him as Joker after viewing the film.
According to PTA, he stated the film’s based on Scientology, early drafts of There Will Be Blood and Navy stories Jason Robards told PTA while filming “Magnolia.”
Lancaster Dodd is based on L. Ron Hubbard. The founder of Scientology.
- Fun Fact 1: Brad Dourif’s daughter, Fiona is credited as Dancer #3. Look up her IMDb page for proof.
- Fun Fact 2: PTA confirmed The Master’s is the best film in his filmography.
We learn about Freddie Quell’s life.
A girl named, Doris plays a crucial part in Freddie’s life.
A fart scene made me laugh. I’m surprised a fart scene in a serious drama film is a million times funnier than “Pitch Perfect.”
Unhealthy: Pacing’s a slow burn. I understand what’s going on, but it feels like I’m stuck in heavy traffic.
Without giving anything way, the best way to describe the very end, “Huh?” Got me puzzled.
The Final Verdict: B, FOR BREATHER!
Although I had issues with the slow pace and ending, I thought The Master was great. I was this close to giving it a mediocre grade a B-, but I gotta give huge praise on Joaquin Phoenix & Philip Seymour Hoffman performances. Especially the latter’s final collaboration with Paul Thomas Anderson before his untimely death. The Master doesn’t rely on storytelling, it’s heavily relies on realistic drama. This film may not be everyone’s cup of tea, so give this one a try.
Nickthemoviecritic.com 