The Master

Paul Thomas Anderson films, by his very resume, puts the 'W' in weird. Either the premise is really 'out there' or his characters odd and dysfunctional at best. With his new work named "The Master", both premise and characters are equally obscure, especially the latter.

After returning from the Second World War, a charismatic intellectual, Lancaster Dodd (Philip Seymour Hoffman) creates 'The Cause', a faith based organization in an attempt to provide meaning to his life. He becomes known as "The Master". Dodd comes across Freddie Quell (Joaquin Phoenix), a Navy soldier from the war, and decides to use him as a guinea pig and protege. Later, as Dodd's right-hand man, this former drifter begins to question both the belief system and The Master as the organization grows and gains a fervent following thanks to assistance from Dodd's wife, Peggy (Amy Adams), his daughter, Elizabeth (Ambyr Childers) and his son-in-law, Clark (Rami Malek). The only one here that doesn't seem to be 'drinking the cool-aid' is Dodd's son, Val (Jesse Plemons) who, at one point, tells Freddie, during one of Freddie's drunken outbursts, that is Dad is just making this up as he goes along.

Others to round out the cast are Madisen Beaty as Doris Solstad, Lena Endre as Mrs. Solstad, and Kevin J. O'Connor as Bill William.

This was written and directed by Paul Thomas Anderson ("Boogie Knights" '97, "Magnolia" '99, "Punch-Drunk Love" '02, "There Will Be Blood" '07). The direction was amazing in that the way he got his actors to show such pathos and intensity was consummate. The writing was fraught with grit and intensity, however there were places where it just moved a little slow-- the running time could have been a bit shorter, and some places where it had a tendency to wander. It kind of drops you at the end, and comes to no conclusion by films' end, but sometimes life has no conclusions either.

The acting by both Hoffman and Phoenix was absolutely consummate, and by Oscar time they could garner a nomination as could Anderson for directing.

If you're looking for a 'normal' film with a nice tied bow ending, you will be sorely disappointed, however if you're into obscure, weird, with dysfunctional, twisted characters and an odd ending, you will revel!

Out of 4 stars: 3                       Rated: R                      137mins.