Title: The Master
Genre: Film
Grade: A-/B+
Notable People: Joaquin Phoenix, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Laura Dern; directed by Paul Thomas Anderson
Review Whoa- this is one intense movie. Basic story of a damaged GI returning from the Big One who seeks meaning in a religious cult led by the alternately charismatic and wacky Hoffman. It’s a pretty subtle portrayal of this kind of craziness; Hoffman does quiet manipulation and a lot of laughing rather than hellfire and brimstone, As always, he is beyond brilliant (I have begun to think he may be the premier actor of his generation), Phoenix is good (though not all that nuanced) as the tortured seeker (I kept thinking he was going to start singing “I Walk the Line”) and Adams and Dern are very effective in polar opposite parts . The real star of the show, though, is director Anderson- who has captured the time and the angst with great intensity and amazing attention to detail. This movie was unusually shot at 65 MM and it brings out the 1950’s well with vibrant Technicolors and perfect costumes/scenery. Anderson previously did Boogie Nights and There Will be Blood- so he has both a strong pedigree and a deserved reputation for being on the edge. This movie could be disturbing to some and too slow for others. I found it a “must watch”