Joaquin Phoenix plays Quell, a World War II veteran trying and failing to adjust to a postwar life with a series of jobs that lead him nowhere.
Quell seems to be obsessed with sex, rule breaking, drink and violence. He has a penchant for making his own moonshine and one night he enters a boat where a party is taking place and meets Lancaster Dodd (Hoffman.)
He is a leader of a cult called 'The Cause.' Dodd accepts him into the movement after processing Quell and Dodd also likes his moonshine.
However, Quell is regarded as being mentally erratic, violent and an alcoholic. Dodd's wife and family are sceptical of him which leads him to being processed more vigorously.
At the same time Dodd's methods arouse the suspicions of the police and others who are sceptical of his movement.
The Master is an infuriating film, it gets interesting. You think this is a take on the beginnings of Scientology (who have regular auditing of its members) and similar cult like movements that emerged in the post war period. It is also an examination of damaged men.
Yet the final act is a let down, Writer-director Anderson literally has lost the plot.
You sense Quell is disappointed that Dodd's revelations of Book 2 is such a dud and he even beats up the publisher who admits the book is not very good.
We have a scene where Quell simply rides out of the desert, leaving the cult more in keeping with the character.
Instead the film goes on with some closure relating to his girlfriend Quell walked out on and then the scenes set in England with Dodd serenading him out of the movement.
It was unsatisfactory, we know that Quell remains a drunk and has no intent in changing his erratic behaviour. It adds to the impression that the cult's processing is a failure as it has not worked on Quell who went through intensive processing.
The acting is uniformly good. Phoenix channels both Jack Nicholson and Warren Beatty (circa Bonnie & Clyde) in his performance.
However I felt Phoenix looked too old to play Quell who seemed to be a troubled young man and Phoenix is in his late 30s and looks it.
Amy Adams comes out best as the Master's latest wife and is very suspicious of Quell.
Hoffman, a person who I always regard the 'whoop whoop' guy from previous films such as Twister and Scent of a Woman shows he has a fine singing voice and worked hard in his characterisation.
It is weird to think he is only in his mid 40s as he looks and plays guys who are much older.
Anderson directed Tom Cruise to an Oscar nominated performance in Magnolia and Hoffman has appeared with Cruise both in Magnolia and Mission Impossible 3.
Phoenix appeared with John Travolta in Ladder 49. So all three might have more insights with cults similar to the Cause that might have helped with their performances and the script.
However the disappointing, meandering and plainly boring final act means that this is a film without substance.
Quell seems to be obsessed with sex, rule breaking, drink and violence. He has a penchant for making his own moonshine and one night he enters a boat where a party is taking place and meets Lancaster Dodd (Hoffman.)
He is a leader of a cult called 'The Cause.' Dodd accepts him into the movement after processing Quell and Dodd also likes his moonshine.
However, Quell is regarded as being mentally erratic, violent and an alcoholic. Dodd's wife and family are sceptical of him which leads him to being processed more vigorously.
At the same time Dodd's methods arouse the suspicions of the police and others who are sceptical of his movement.
The Master is an infuriating film, it gets interesting. You think this is a take on the beginnings of Scientology (who have regular auditing of its members) and similar cult like movements that emerged in the post war period. It is also an examination of damaged men.
Yet the final act is a let down, Writer-director Anderson literally has lost the plot.
You sense Quell is disappointed that Dodd's revelations of Book 2 is such a dud and he even beats up the publisher who admits the book is not very good.
We have a scene where Quell simply rides out of the desert, leaving the cult more in keeping with the character.
Instead the film goes on with some closure relating to his girlfriend Quell walked out on and then the scenes set in England with Dodd serenading him out of the movement.
It was unsatisfactory, we know that Quell remains a drunk and has no intent in changing his erratic behaviour. It adds to the impression that the cult's processing is a failure as it has not worked on Quell who went through intensive processing.
The acting is uniformly good. Phoenix channels both Jack Nicholson and Warren Beatty (circa Bonnie & Clyde) in his performance.
However I felt Phoenix looked too old to play Quell who seemed to be a troubled young man and Phoenix is in his late 30s and looks it.
Amy Adams comes out best as the Master's latest wife and is very suspicious of Quell.
Hoffman, a person who I always regard the 'whoop whoop' guy from previous films such as Twister and Scent of a Woman shows he has a fine singing voice and worked hard in his characterisation.
It is weird to think he is only in his mid 40s as he looks and plays guys who are much older.
Anderson directed Tom Cruise to an Oscar nominated performance in Magnolia and Hoffman has appeared with Cruise both in Magnolia and Mission Impossible 3.
Phoenix appeared with John Travolta in Ladder 49. So all three might have more insights with cults similar to the Cause that might have helped with their performances and the script.
However the disappointing, meandering and plainly boring final act means that this is a film without substance.