Review 182: The Master
The film is supposedly inspired by the tale of L Ron Hubbard and how he created Scientology and how he tried to find answers to the meaning of life, though it is not phisically connected to the religion. To be honest with you, I found Scientology a load of tosh, but after watching this film, I think I understand it bit better now.
Lancaster Dodd (Philip Seymour Hoffman) is a charismatic intellectual who launches a religious organization known as "The Cause" following World War II. Freddie Quell (Joaquin Phoenix) a a World War II veteran struggling to adjust to a post-war society becomes his right-hand man but as the faith begins to gain a fervent following, Quell finds himself questioning the belief system and his mentor.
The plot is... amazing. Its got so many themes: humanity, suffering, alienation and loneliness. It also does ponder some pretty deep questions our very existence in this universe, let's discuss them.
Humanity: Lancaster Dodd is a metaphor for L Ron Hubbard, he is trying to find a reason for the humanities existence in this universe which is a question we are constantly asking and one I think we will possibly never find out.
Suffering: Freddie Quell is a World War II veteran struggling to adjust to a post-war society which is exactualy how soldiers at the end of World War II behaved, they had been through a huge war that had left a huge impact on their life and they just couldn't go back to who they were after that.
Alienation: When we first meet Freddie, he's a nobody, he's practically a person who has been hurt by the effects of World War II and he struggles to adjust to the society he is in.
The same can be said about Dodd's organization and the Scientology in real life, once you join them you become a recluse and become isolated from your family and friends.
Loneliness: At the beginning, we see Freddie as a sad lonely man who has survived the war and who is suffering from Post-traumatic stress disorder and someone who has nobody to turn to.
However as the film progresses, Quell begins to question the belief system and his mentor and soon Dodd and his followers start to question weather he is really loyal to to organization. And I think that's demonstrated well in several scenes in the film e.g. despite Dodd doing some experiments on him Freddie's violent and erratic behavior has not improved, nor has his alcoholism. Another would be the scene Dodd is arrested for practicing medicine without proper qualifications, after one of his former hostesses has a change of heart, and Freddie is also arrested for assaulting the police officers. In the jail cell adjacent to Dodd, Freddie smashes the toilet and batters himself against the bars and his bunk, while Dodd tries to calm him. But Freddie erupts in a tirade, questioning everything that Dodd has taught him, and accuses him of being a fake. It is also a very disturbing film, you actually feel like your inside the cult being given all these tests.
Paul Tomas Anderson's directing is precise, the cinematography is beautiful, the score by Johnny Greenwood is creepy and gets the films tone right, the production design (recreating the 1940's/50's) is splendid, the costume design is mystical, the make up is rich and the ending was superb.
The acting is sensational, Joaquin Phoenix, Philip Seymour Hoffman and Amy Adams are stellar in this film as the three leads and the rest of the cast is spectacular.
The Master is a masterful film and an example of writer/director Paul Thomas Anderon's film-making at his finest, 5/5.
The Anonymous Critic
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