The Master: A Feast of Food for Thought

Writing a review for The Master is one of the most difficult tasks I've ever faced. The truth is, while I know what I saw was great, I'm not quite sure what my opinion of it is. I'm not sure how much I truly "love" the film, and I'm not even sure if I do love it and ever will. I'm not sure if I'll ever even feel the urge to watch it again, and not because I was bored or disappointed. The truth is, I was exhilarated by The Master and astonished by what Paul Thomas Anderson accomplishes with this film. But, the movie has so many complex themes and I'm still processing all that PTA is saying through it. All I know is, The Master was disturbing, difficult to interpret, beautifully filmed and directed and, by far, the most complex film of the year. But with so much to think about, it's difficult to really have a sound opinion on the movie.

What you take away from The Master really depends on what you bring to it. I think your religious beliefs will certainly have an impact on what you think of the film, and the movie will probably play the best with those who don't believe in anything or have very complicated feelings about religion, such as myself. Those who are completely convinced that there own religion is entirely true may not be able to relate to the film, and those that are ignorant to any real spirituality will probably feel nothing while watching. Regardless of what the press may want you to think, the truth is this film is not about Scientology, even if the cult in the film seems heavily inspired by it. This is a film about religion in general. It is about why we believe what we believe, the lengths we will go to believe in it, and how our beliefs will impact our thoughts and actions. It interprets the behavior of the believer (Joaquin Phoenix's Freddie Quell) and the preacher (Phillip Seymour Hoffman's Lancaster Dodd). The film is an examination of faith, and not a lighthearted one for that matter.

Watching this film was a powerful experience for multiple reasons. For one thing, I was astounded by PTA's directing abilities, as I always am. Paul Thomas Anderson's style is incredibly unique and never fails to completely captivate me. As all his films have been, The Master is beautifully filmed and features absolutely gorgeous cinematography. The power of his direction can be felt regardless of what is happening on screen, and there is no denying that PTA is one of the best directors working today. If you haven't seen any of his films before, I wholly recommend you seek them out. There isn't a bad film in the bunch. But the movie was powerful for a different reason, and a reason I did not expect- I was deeply disturbed by the film. As captivated as I was by the film, I couldn't help but feel uneasy, uncomfortable and eventually just disturbed by the happenings on screen. There is something very bizarre and deeply troubling about the characters, their actions, and what their actions mean for us. What is PTA saying about society though this film? Is it true? What are his thoughts on religion, and are all religions this damaging to their members? I've been thinking about this film since I saw it Friday night, and am still not quite sure about what he thinks.

That's the best part of the film- that I still don't know. There are so few films in general that are as thought provoking as this film is, and even fewer released in the past ten years. This is a film made for analyzation and intelligent discussion. So while I didn't "enjoy" watching The Master in the way I enjoyed PTA's other films or some other movies released this year, I've certainly enjoyed discussing the film with my family and friends that have seen the film. To not discuss The Master is like only watching half a film and then forming an opinion on it. It's a movie that demands to be remembered.

On the more basic sense, The Master is still a monumental achievement. I simply can't imagine a world where Joaquin Phoenix does not win Best Actor in a Leading Role. His performance is a true transformation and absolutely phenomenal. Everything from his posture to his facial expressions and, more obviously, his physicalization and line delivery seem thought out and truly leave an impact on the audience. Phoenix is one of the most recognizable faces in the business simply due to how diverse of an actor he is, but here he completely disappears into the role. "In character" is an understatement. Not to be upstaged, Phillip Seymour Hoffman is also fantastic, while Amy Adams delivers, what I believe to be the best performance in her already stellar career. The film, as I mentioned above, also features the best cinematography of the year and a chilling score.

Don't just watch The Master and expect to have an opinion on it the moment the lights come up. It's a movie that must be processed and thought about for quite some time. Once the film is available on Bluray I plan on picking up a copy and pausing after each scene to really think about what Paul Thomas Anderson is trying to say and what it means to me. But, there is no denying that The Master is a powerful viewing experience and a film that will stick with me for quite some time.

OVERALL GRADE: A