The Master

Name: The Master
Genre: Drama
Released: September 14, 2012
Duration: 144 min
Rating: 86
Cast: Amy Adams, Jesse Plemons, Joaquin Phoenix, Philip Seymour Hoffman

2012

METASCORE

Universal acclaim based on 43 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 641 Ratings

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7.3

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7.3	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 641 Ratings

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The Master

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Movie Details & Credits

Weinstein Company, The | Release Date: September 14, 2012 | R

Starring: Amy Adams, Jesse Plemons, Joaquin Phoenix, Philip Seymour Hoffman

Summary: In the years after WWII, an American intellectual creates a religion. When he meets a troubled drifter, he invites the man to help him spread the new faith. As their congregation increases, the drifter begins to question the religion he once accepted and the mentor who gave his life direction.

Director: Paul Thomas Anderson

Genre(s): Drama

Rating: R

Runtime: 144 min

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Critic Reviews

100

A.O. Scott

Sep 13, 2012

It is a movie about the lure and folly of greatness that comes as close as anything I've seen recently to being a great movie. There will be skeptics, but the cult is already forming. Count me in. Read full review

100

Michael Phillips

Sep 20, 2012

The Master is brilliantly, wholly itself for a little more than half of its 137 minutes. Then it chases its own tail a bit and settles for being merely a fascinating metaphoric father-son relationship reaching endgame. It may not all "work," but most of it's remarkable. Read full review

100

Emma Dibdin

Nov 4, 2012

With potent performers and poetic visuals, Anderson has made the boldest American picture of the year. Its strangeness can be hard to process, but this is a shattering study of the impossibility of recovering the past. Read full review

Anthony Lane

Sep 10, 2012

On reflection, and despite these cavils, we should bow to The Master, because it gives us so much to revere, starting with the image that opens the film and recurs right up to the end-the turbid, blue-white wake of a ship. There goes the past, receding and not always redeemable, and here comes the future, waiting to churn us up. Read full review

The Playlist Charlie Schmidilin

Aug 17, 2012

Even amongst its most wrenching scenes of unfettered anger and broken loyalty, a volatile sensuality nonetheless invades every frame of Paul Thomas Anderson's arresting The Master. Read full review

James Berardinelli

Sep 14, 2012

Yet, for all of The Master's laudable elements, it falls short of greatness for one simple reason: the storytelling is unspectacular. Read full review

Rex Reed

Sep 18, 2012

Call The Master whatever you want, but lobotomized catatonia from what I call the New Hacks can never take the place of well-made narrative films about real people that tell profound stories for a broader and more sophisticated audience. Fads come and go, but as Walter Kerr used to say, "I'll yell tripe whenever tripe is served." Read full review

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User Reviews

Silvertooth

Sep 17, 2012

Another amazing epic Paul Thomas Anderson film where every facet of the film is extremely dynamic. It is very dense and there's a lot to take in whether it be the tense, grinding score, the gorgeous shot choices (punctuated by vibrant color and detail in 70mm), or knock out performances fromAnother amazing epic Paul Thomas Anderson film where every facet of the film is extremely dynamic. It is very dense and there's a lot to take in whether it be the tense, grinding score, the gorgeous shot choices (punctuated by vibrant color and detail in 70mm), or knock out performances from the lead males. The physical work that Joaquin does is outstanding, I have not seen an actor as fully committed and free in a long time, perhaps since Daniel Day in There Will Be Blood. Paul's most interesting film in terms of structure/ editing, jumping through time willy nilly, perhaps mirroring the teachings of Lancaster Dodd or perhaps entering the mind of Freddie continually going back to where he is stuck (the war/ lost loves). The relationship between Dodd and Quell is tense and at times adorable, they are so in love and desire so much to have what the other has: Lancaster wants to act on impulse and not be controlled by any "Master" and Freddie whats to break this insane cycle he seems to find himself trapped in. This film will absolutely take many more viewings and I believe it will continue to grow in my mind as PT's best film (potentially).… Expand

33 of 36 users found this helpful333

LegitSalt

May 8, 2020

This is, in my opinion, Paul Thomas Anderson’s best movie. Performances like Joaquin Phoenix's and Phillip Seymour Hoffman’s show acting at its finest. Even with the immense powerhouse performances that they give, their supporting cast remains steadfast and exceptional, especially Amy Adams.This is, in my opinion, Paul Thomas Anderson’s best movie. Performances like Joaquin Phoenix's and Phillip Seymour Hoffman’s show acting at its finest. Even with the immense powerhouse performances that they give, their supporting cast remains steadfast and exceptional, especially Amy Adams. The Master feels in many ways like a documentary or a biopic. The movie may seem very unreal, but, with entities like the church of Scientology existing in real life, it feels bound within reality. The dynamics between Lancaster Dodd (Phillip Seymour Hoffman) and Freddie Quell (Joaquin Phoenix) are constantly changing and representative of the true potential and ranges of the two leading actors. The Master is well written and well-acted, but it is so much more than that. Even if The Master were just the sum of its parts, it would be a great movie, however, these parts, in conjunction with one another, go a step further in cementing the film’s greatness. The sequencing, cinematography, directing, casting, score, and shot composition all go so well together that it is hard to see the movie as existing without any one piece. The Master is deeply disturbing in the exploitation shown but it does so in a cautionary and purposefully off-putting way.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

BrianMcCritic

Mar 10, 2013

Paul Thomas Anderson continues to prove that he's one of the best directors going today. If you want a film with superior acting and outstanding dialogue then I would highly recommend The Master.

2 of 3 users found this helpful21

nicholasbert

Sep 5, 2014

When a director has such a fame as PTA has - with people calling him wunderkind, the next blabla and other appalling names - it is inevitable that each new film tends to be seen as a new step in his career, as if his works were all connected. I don't think this is the case: The Master kindWhen a director has such a fame as PTA has - with people calling him wunderkind, the next blabla and other appalling names - it is inevitable that each new film tends to be seen as a new step in his career, as if his works were all connected. I don't think this is the case: The Master kind of stands alone amongst PTA's filmography, and I must confess, if I were to rate it comparing it with his previous films, I'd give it a 4.

The performances are good, especially Hoffman's rather than Phoenix's in my opinion, the cinematography was spectacular as always - the real problem is the storytelling. The unusual film choice might have extended in sort of a "total 50s feel" where even the pacing of the film is old-fashioned. Anyway, the story itself is interesting, it just isn't delivered as potently as it could have.

That said, still one of the good movies. My jaw drops when I see "The Avengers" rated more than this by users.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

jlua

Jan 12, 2013

Whether a movie is good, bad, opaque or an epic, it should never be boring. And, in my opinion, this film was boring. Joaquin Phoenix´s acting was very good, but acting very well a bad script is a bad result. Some situations were absurd, in the bad sense of the word. TheWhether a movie is good, bad, opaque or an epic, it should never be boring. And, in my opinion, this film was boring. Joaquin Phoenix´s acting was very good, but acting very well a bad script is a bad result. Some situations were absurd, in the bad sense of the word. The characters, except that of Mr. Phoenix´s, were not well delineated, and the directing was all over the place, something not surprising given the poor script. The basis of the story was good, but it needed a good development. This film lacks a good development.… Expand

4 of 5 users found this helpful41

nlightn

Sep 28, 2012

I have never felt more embarrassed recommending a movie to a group of friends - and on my birthday no less! As a P.T. Anderson fan, I was swayed by the amazing reviews from the "critics". I now wonder what Cool-aid they are drinking to give it such rave ratings.

Yes - great acting -I have never felt more embarrassed recommending a movie to a group of friends - and on my birthday no less! As a P.T. Anderson fan, I was swayed by the amazing reviews from the "critics". I now wonder what Cool-aid they are drinking to give it such rave ratings.

Yes - great acting - that is a given.
Yes - great cinematography and sound- that too is a given.
Story - so much potential, but falls far short from doing anything other than show the depravity of it's main stars and lack of substance.

In the end I felt slimed by the brilliantly perverted mind of P.T. Anderson. I felt it necessary to apologize to my friends for putting them through this. That wasn't a gift I wanted to receive on my birthday!… Expand

0 of 3 users found this helpful03

Pugwash

Mar 16, 2013

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.

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

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13	#13 Best Movie of 2012
25	#25 Most Discussed Movie of 2012
21	#21 Most Shared Movie of 2012