Joaquin Phoenix

Philip Seymour Hoffman

Amy Adams

Rami Malek

Laura Dern

Jesse Plemons

Ambyr Childers

Madisen Beaty

Kevin J. O'Connor

Patty McCormack

Lena Endre

Barbara Brownell

Amy Ferguson

Jennifer Neala Page

Christopher Evan Welch

Mike Howard

Frank Bettag

Mimi Cozzens

Jillian Bell

Joshua Close

Martin Dew

Kevin J. Walsh

Brady Rubin

Jill Andre

Barlow Jacobs

David Warshofsky

Tom Knickerbocker

Zan Overall

Katie Boland

Lorelai Hoey

Price Carson

Sarah Shoshana David

Bruce Goodchild

Matt Hering

Dan Anderson

Andrew Koponen

Jeffrey W. Jenkins

Patrick Wilder

Ryan Curtis

Jay Laurence

Abraxas Adams

Tina Bruna

Kevin Hudnell

Hunter Craig

Ryder Craig

Rodion Salnikov

Emily Gilliam

Kody Klein

W. Earl Brown

Ariel Felix

Vladimir Velasco

John Mark Reyes

Brian Fong

Diane Cortejo

Leonida A. Bautista

Myrna De Dios

William O'Brien

Brigitte Hagerman

Charley Morgan

Gigi Benson

Liz Clare

Fiona Dourif

Audrey Finer

Megan Rose Fox

Baily Hopkins

Mari Kearney

Sarah Klaren

Ally Johnson

Brittany Kilcoyne McGregor

LaRain Ring

Kimberly Ables Jindra

Theo Crisell

Eban Schletter

Scott Rodgers

Melora Walters

Emily Jordan

Amanda Caryn Jobbins

Olivia Rosemarie Barham

Napoleon Ryan

AnnaCorey

Bill Blair

Paul Thomas Anderson

Jonny Greenwood

Leslie Jones

Mihai Malaimare Jr.

Amy Wells

David Crank

Jack Fisk

Cassandra Kulukundis

Mark Bridges

Peter McNulty

Paul E. Short

Joe Bucaro III

Michael Semanick

Phil Bray

Miia Kovero

Chuck Zlotnick

Chris Scarabosio

Mark Ulano

Robert T. Chestnut

Jillian Giacomini

Paula Suhy

Garrett Warren

Matthew Wood

Kate Biscoe

Wendy M. Craig

Graeme Stewart

David Acord

Brendan Walsh

Linda Cohen

Conner McKinley

Rudy Reachi

Kevin Sellers

Robert Wilson

Michael Bauman

Daniel Lupi

Aurora Bergere

Donna Marcione Pollack

Megan Ellison

Germicka Barclay

John P. Goldsmith

Michael Lantieri

Adam Somner

Bill Holmquist

Andrea Pino

Cookie Lopez

Jim Krase

Demelza Cronin

JoAnne Sellar

C.J. Maguire

Colin Anderson

Melody Levy

Malcolm Fife

Steve Slanec

Cheryl Nardi

Kim Foscato

Ted Schipper

Tom Massimini

Lloyd Barachina

David Kiiskinen

Dan Brown

Tsuyoshi Abe

Jesse V. Johnson

Rex Reddick

Mark Chadwick

Zach Hudson

Tim Meredith

Brian Scannell

Myke Schwartz

Michael Kenner

John W. Micheletos

Adam Blantz

Lou Wiskes

Kevin Larson

Gary Toy

Erik L. Brown

Mark Ginther

Eric Richard Lasko

Ruth De Jong

Will Weiske

Karen Ramirez

Jaime Lovell

Jeff Kunkle

Karen Teneyck

Albert Chi

Mike Helbig

Patrick J. Statham

Jason Bean

Juan Cisneros

Mark Aaron Wagner

Robert 'Boomer' McCann

Bret Ross

Joseph Hicks

Drama

The Master

Annapurna Pictures

Ghoulardi Film Company

JoAnne Sellar Productions

United States of America

English

post-traumatic stress disorder (ptsd)

sexual obsession

religion

drifter

alcoholic

handjob

post war

cult leader

scientology

religious cult

charismatic leader

right hand man

1940s

past life regression

nude dancing

Modern self-indulgent rubbish. Too long. I gained nothing from watching this. It's nicely photographed, but that is a given in the 21st century. The acting is fine, but this is a review of the movie as a whole. Don't waste your time.

Filipe Manuel Neto

**It's a film for a fairly narrow audience and is very slow paced... too slow.**

Honestly, I expected more from this movie. A certain strong dramatic spark that really justified the time spent watching it. Unfortunately, it seems the only motivation for seeing the film is its criticism of the Church of Scientology, a criticism that, if you read a little about the church and pay attention, is not even implied.

Paul Thomas Anderson is a respected director, especially after the films “Magnolia” and “There Will Be Blood”. I'm not going to discuss that, not least because he's not a director I'm comfortable with (I think, counting this one, I've only seen two of his films). What matters is this film, and here, the director did a good job. It probably not the best of his career, there are very debatable options especially in terms of editing and rhythm, but it's enough.

The cast's work is even better. Joaquin Phoenix gives us an impeccable, intense and very dramatic work, even if it is totally surpassed by the charisma of Philip Seymour Hoffman, a totally accurate choice for the character, who required not only charisma but also leadership, affirmation and authority. The actor, who left us suddenly and quite prematurely, was rightly nominated for an Oscar here. Laura Dern and Amy Adams ensure the main presences in the feminine, and they do it safely, even if in a more discreet way.

On a technical level, the film has some very good points and others not so well developed: if on the one hand we have an excellent collection of sets and costumes, a good recreation of historical periods and places, an excellent cinematography and an enviable filming work, we also have a badly done edition, incapable of giving the film greater drama and some rhythm. I don't know if that was on purpose or not, what I do know is that the movie is disgustingly slow, dull and boring, with tons of lamely written dialogue and a lot of wasted time in between. I was left with the feeling that it would have been perfectly possible, in editing, to cut about half an hour of film without rigorously altering the meaning or running the risk of ruining the story.

And talking about editing invariably leads us to talking about the script. I am not and have never been a member of the Church of Scientology, so I feel free to see a film that openly criticizes it, and also a film that criticizes it more covertly, as is the case. What the film makes clear is the weight of a great leader's charisma for the growth of a cult, but that was something that seemed clear enough to me. There are also some passages in which the film suggests that Scientology (like the “Cause”) is a great hoax, but this is also apparently consensual among the common public, and is based to some extent on testimonies from former members of the church. Regardless, it is not a film that is capable of attracting the masses to cinema, it is a topic for a niche of people already interested in it and not for the general public. And that doomed the film to a tremendous financial failure, considering the capital the production spent on it.

Official MUBI Trailer

Another Look at THE MASTER, feat. Adam Nayman

These Are Films That Influenced The Master

The Master( 2012)

Every man needs a guide.

Overview

Top Billed Cast

Social

A review by Pugwash

Written by Pugwash on Sat Mar 16 2013

Media

Recommendations

Facts

Status

Original Language

Budget

Revenue

Keywords