Set in post-World War II America, Paul Thomas Anderson's newest film offers a stark portrait and study of men searching for belonging and purpose during a time that promised little of either. Freddie Quell (Joaquin Phoenix), a young Navy soldier, returns home from the war and is faced with a future of uncertainty and unsettlement until he meets the charismatic leader of "The Cause," Lancaster Dodd (Phillip Seymour Hoffman). Dodd leads a faith-based organization that is beginning to establish waves of popularity in America. "The Master" documents Quell's transition from a wayward drifter to a cult leader's right-hand man and converges on the drama in the mysterious relationship between the two men. Katie Tai
Directed by: AndersonWith: Phoenix, Hoffman, Amy Adams137 minutesRated R
Phoenix and Hoffman give the performance of their lives in this convoluted, multi-dimensional film. Although they could not be more different, they are tethered to each other in a way that is unmistakable, yet not necessarily understandable to the audience. "The Master" speaks with conviction and a distinct voice, reluctant to stop in its tracks to explain itself. Jackie Wei
This is not a movie, but an event. It is a film that deserves to be (and will be) dissected and discussed for years to come, further cementing Anderson as one of the true gods of cinema. If nothing else, "The Master" should be seen for the master class in acting that Phoenix and Hoffman provide. Phoenix all but engraves his Oscar as a man controlled by his deepest primordial desires trying to find his place in a society he knows he does not fit into.Varun Bhuchar
Phoenix carries this film with his awkward but incessant laughter bursting with idiocy, yet hinting at underlying complexities. Hoffman and Adams both deliver performances bursting with engrossing intensity. Adams, who initially appears to be nothing more than a supportive yet vapid wife, quickly evolves into a more central character. Hoffman's array of expletive outbursts and soothing hypnosis portrays his character to possess incredible yet completely fabricated genius. Erin O'Neil
