The Master was a movie I expected SO much more out of. While the acting was beyond incredible by leads
Joaquin Phoenix, Philip Seymour Hoffman and Amy Adams, the story just didn’t line
up with the caliber of the performances.
The plot centers around a disturbed World War II veteran (played by
Phoenix) looking for a place in the world.
As time goes by he comes into contact, almost serendipitously, with a
group of people and its charismatic leader Lancaster Dodd, simply called Master
(played by Hoffman). The two form an
interesting bond and go on to develop an even stranger relationship over the
course of their time together. The
group, which many in the film label as a cult, travels around the country
preaching its strange views and beliefs led by both Master and his wife Peggy
(played by Adams). An interesting look
at both post-traumatic stress and the inner psychological workings of a cult,
the film feels at times more like a pseudo-documentary centered around real
historical characters, which is only a further testament of the actors ability
to embody their roles. Still, the movie
was just strange and left me wondering what the point of it all was. There is no a-ha moment or big reveal; nor is
there any direct meaning to the events that occur (at least that I could
ascertain). I would have liked them to
develop the history of the characters further as I think it would have put a
lot of the interactions (namely between Hoffman and Phoenix) into perspective. Overall, this is definitely a thought
provoking movie and one that requires your complete attention. So don’t throw it in your DVD player before
bed because I assure you, it will be difficult to make it through the full two
hours and change.
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