The Master
Directed by Paul Thomas Anderson7.185%62%7.1
Freddie, a volatile, heavy-drinking veteran who suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder, finds some semblance of a family when he stumbles onto the ship of Lancaster Dodd, the charismatic leader of a new "religion" he forms after World War II.
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The Master Ratings & Reviews
- stuhannafordJuly 21, 2025The very definition of a film critics fall over themselves to proclaim, whilst the average movie goer struggles to find entertainment in it. If, like me, you became drawn to it, via the loose Scientology links, in hopes of some sort of exposé, save your time and look for Going Clear (2015). The intrigue regarding the organisation, or ‘cause’ wasn’t distanced by the filmmakers, and with good reason… the subject matter on show is dull and repetitive. There’s simply very little substance, and suffers from incredible delusions of importance, much like our loosely linked Master. Long, drawn out scenes gave the feeling of uncomfortable silences, almost daring you to find alternative meaning from the quiet, but actually adds to the empty feeling at the core of the story. There is an early draft of Phoenix’s Joker, which feels flat in comparison. The only element that keeps the ship afloat, is yet another example of the extraordinary talent lost, Seymour-Hoffmann. The calm, erratic, caring, manipulative, decisive and uncertain duality of his character is captivating, and without his performance, it would be easy to begin processing daydreaming thoughts. It is a real process to get through.
- Rowan KrzysiakMarch 3, 2025This is a very painful watch and it's not because the film is bad, far from it. The film is engaging, the performances are hypnotic but as the protagonist's 'treatment' endures I felt I was starting to suffer also. There is all the required depth and quality that anyone could want her but the motivation to read it with clarity could well be a hurdle too far.
- alihoneycuttSeptember 20, 2025Decent movie. Philip Seymour Hoffman is brilliant as the charismatic cult leader. He makes the film watchable. Joaquin Phoenix's disturbed, wacko, depressed misfit guy is ALWAYS way overdone. Too many of those "See what I did there? That wasn't in the script!" moments. And those weird contorted shoulders are just...uhm, no.
- Jonathon PackAugust 26, 2025Freddi Quell is a bucket with a hole in it and Dodd's methods are duct tape. This film is a fascinating look at how the foundations of New Thought teachings are typically wrong and will feel like a lot of work. With all this in mind I need to watch it again as I'm sure I'll like even more on a second viewing.
The Master Trivia
The Master was released on September 21, 2012.
The Master was directed by Paul Thomas Anderson.
The Master has a runtime of 2h 17m.
The Master was produced by Paul Thomas Anderson, Megan Ellison, Daniel Lupi, JoAnne Sellar.
Freddie, a volatile, heavy-drinking veteran who suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder, finds some semblance of a family when he stumbles onto the ship of Lancaster Dodd, the charismatic leader of a new "religion" he forms after World War II.
The key characters in The Master are Freddie Quell (Joaquin Phoenix), Lancaster Dodd (Philip Seymour Hoffman), Peggy Dodd (Amy Adams).
The Master is rated R.
The Master is a Drama film.
The Master has an audience rating of 6.2 out of 10.
The Master had a budget of $32M.
The Master has made $28.3M at the box office.