It's a psychological drama set primarily in various spots in the United States -- New York, Philadelphia, and Arizona -- from 1945 to the early 1950s. It follows a World War II Navy veteran with severe psychological issues who becomes closely engaged with the leader of a pseudo-scientific cult known as "The Cause."
Freddie Quell (Joaquin Phoenix) is a severely-damaged alcoholic sailor. His erratic and sometimes violent behavior is an issue from the film's beginning. He briefly falls in love with 16-year-old Doris Solstad (Madisen Beaty) but soon departs for a sea job and doesn't return for seven years. After several crises, he stows away on a boat operated by Lancaster Dodd (Philip Seymour Hoffman), the leader of "The Cause," though Dodd's wife, Peggy (Amy Adams), seems more stable than Lancaster. The Dodd children, Elizabeth (Ambyr Childers) and Val (Jesse Plemons), have mixed views of their parents' mission.
The film's focus is the relationship between Quell and Lancaster Dodd. Dodd seems obsessed with Quell and tries to cure Quell's demons several times. However, it seems to be a case of one damaged personality unable to help another damaged personality. The ending is realistic but unfulfilling.
Hoffman is an outstanding character actor, and I think he is superb as a highly educated cult leader (he claims both a Ph. D. and M. D.) who, in the words of his son, is "making it up as he goes along." Phoenix seems so borderline psychotic during much of the film that it's not clear how the relationship between Quell and Dodd lasted as long as it did. Amy Adams is great as the backbone of the operation. Laura Dern has a nice turn as a true believer who finally becomes disenchanted.
The quality of the acting warrants a good rating, but the story is occasionally tedious with overly-long sequences. It could have been 20 minutes shorter with better editing.
Freddie Quell (Joaquin Phoenix) is a severely-damaged alcoholic sailor. His erratic and sometimes violent behavior is an issue from the film's beginning. He briefly falls in love with 16-year-old Doris Solstad (Madisen Beaty) but soon departs for a sea job and doesn't return for seven years. After several crises, he stows away on a boat operated by Lancaster Dodd (Philip Seymour Hoffman), the leader of "The Cause," though Dodd's wife, Peggy (Amy Adams), seems more stable than Lancaster. The Dodd children, Elizabeth (Ambyr Childers) and Val (Jesse Plemons), have mixed views of their parents' mission.
The film's focus is the relationship between Quell and Lancaster Dodd. Dodd seems obsessed with Quell and tries to cure Quell's demons several times. However, it seems to be a case of one damaged personality unable to help another damaged personality. The ending is realistic but unfulfilling.
Hoffman is an outstanding character actor, and I think he is superb as a highly educated cult leader (he claims both a Ph. D. and M. D.) who, in the words of his son, is "making it up as he goes along." Phoenix seems so borderline psychotic during much of the film that it's not clear how the relationship between Quell and Dodd lasted as long as it did. Amy Adams is great as the backbone of the operation. Laura Dern has a nice turn as a true believer who finally becomes disenchanted.
The quality of the acting warrants a good rating, but the story is occasionally tedious with overly-long sequences. It could have been 20 minutes shorter with better editing.