Monday, October 22, 2012
THE MASTER (2012)
Filmmaker Paul Thomas Anderson is always
ambitious, usually idiosyncratic, visually dynamic, occasionally obtuse, and
endlessly fascinating. His strongest
films are BOOGIE NIGHTS, about the denizens of the ‘70s and ‘80s San Fernando
Valley porn industry, and THERE WILL BE BLOOD, about a ruthless California oil
baron during the late 19th and early 20th century. Anderson excels at immersing viewers in the
period while populating the screen with vibrant, tangible characters. He also puzzles and perplexes (see the rain
of frogs at the end of MAGNOLIA). Here
Anderson follows Freddie Quell (Joaquin Phoenix), a World War II vet suffering
from alcoholism and post-traumatic stress syndrome. After several attempts to fit into post-war
society, Freddie stows away aboard a yacht chartered by charismatic guru
Lancaster Dodd (Philip Seymour Hoffman).
Drawn to the troubled young man, Dodd takes Freddie under his wing and
initiates him into The Cause, a system of exercises that uncover past trauma by
seeking out remembered lives. Likewise
Freddie clings to his new mentor and his program like a life raft. Dodd’s wife Peggy (Amy Adams) mistrusts the
new follower yet nevertheless assists her husband in the indoctrination. But soon Dodd’s rote response to polite
challenges turns hostile, fracturing the calm façade of the organization. The acting is exceptional. Hoffman gives Dodd the outward veneer of
fatherly charm, with startling fissures of petty childishness when questioned
too closely. Adams channels Lady Macbeth
as Dodd’s most faithful believer.
Phoenix’s performance is fearless; however, he too often resembles an
actor exploring a role rather than embodying it. Writer/director Anderson loosely based Dodd
on the late L. Ron Hubbard, founder of Scientology, and his interests lie in
exploring how rational and, in Freddie’s case, irrational people are swayed,
and often let down, by charismatic, messianic figures. Anderson refuses to provide pat answers or
resolution, making this film less satisfying than his best, but the journey is
still bracing and a must see for Anderson fans.
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