In the film world there are hundreds of directors, some
of them very proficient and productive, but very few get to attain a style, an
auteur signature that makes their films a pure indelible reflection of their
vision. A language of their own, a unique reinvention of the medium, creating
works that have enduring beauty and substance. Due to the business nature of
films, original ideas that are not very commercial might get passed on, as it
happened at first with "The Master". After living with the idea for such
film for more than a decade, Paul Thomas Anderson has finally brought to life
yet another thought-provoking, visually beautiful work of cinematic art. A
moving essay on the human need to both, be submitted and guided by a higher
power, and to roam free through life reluctant to adhere to societal rules. This
humanity he presents is animalistic, brutal and lost in search for a prophetic
message that can bring meaning to existence. As a creative mind and an audacious filmmaker, Anderson
fills his characters with flaws, making them his to guide. Using the services of
a more than experienced cast, he hypothetically guts these characters, spilling
their secrets and skinning them of any veils, raw emotion on screen.
Ironically, his story centers on the birth of a cult-like movement that
attempts to control such irrational feelings. “The Master” is one of those
films rich in symbolisms and timeless human predicaments, aesthetically
astonishing and a period piece that rings current. More than attempting to criticize
sects like Scientology, it comments on the constant struggle we all live, between
what we want and what is proper. It’s a story about change and those who cant
change, about innate instincts and religious paradigms that aim to keep
humanity from a bestial state. Anderson brings these people to screen to affect
our perception of authority and follower, of parent and child, of doctor and
patient, of the divine and the mundane. These dichotomies are for some, what
keeps civilization afloat, for others is what prevents us from being truly
free.
After WWII the men that returned from the battleground were
expected to become useful members of society and to live the postwar version of
the American dream. They were encouraged to take on a business or buy land, but
the emotional scars they brought home were never fully taken into account. Freddie Quell (Joaquin Phoenix) is one
of these men, lost within him and alcohol just trying to get by. He finds a
couple of odd jobs from which his drunkenness gets him fired. Suddenly, he
encounters a yacht in which a party is taking place, he sneaks in but instead of
being kicked out he is encourage to stay and is welcome by everyone on board.
The leader of this group is charismatic Lancaster Dodd (Philip Seymour Hoffman)
who easily recognizes Freddie’s weaknesses and unspokenly takes him under his
wing. Lancaster preaches his methods of self-discovery used to “help” members
of his group, The Cause, learn about their past lives and control their
negative emotions, bringing them back to their “perfect” state. Disturbed but
also enchanted by Lancaster’s persuasion, Freddie becomes his most devoted
disciple, willing to physically hurt others or himself to defend his master’s
teachings. Nature and Spirit
collide between these two men, in essence not being much different from each
other, but this duality makes them dependant on each other, a sort of
infatuation that completes them. As The Cause advances and it’s faced with
disbelief and issues, Lancaster and his wife Peggy (Amy Adams) need to separate
themselves from Quell’s erratic behavior, leaving the latter lost again and perhaps
with more questions than answers. The film is a constant struggle between what
the two represent, total opposites that are vital for each other, two different
sides of the same coin. As the night gives in to daylight, Lancaster believes
he can bring Freddie out of his darkness and free him from his repulsive
earthly needs, but as his true nature unravels, the tables turn and its hard to
point out which one is indeed the one who seeks guidance.
Joaquin Phoenix is just stunning and brilliant, dare to say
the best performance in his career, the pain transpires through every line,
every chuckle, in the childlike eyes he has when he looks at Lancaster, in his
selfish and perverted way of life, so devastatingly human. Like a hurricane
that has no mercy for anything in its way but who also is only destructive by instinct
not with malicious intentions. Quell represents vice and virtue, the amazing
quality to be content with nothingness and having no hang-ups or concerns for
what is socially acceptable or not. He really cannot be truly tamed, we see him
at his best when he is by the ocean, like the current that flows unstoppable,
like a raging bull, a pure indomitable beast. Watching him in all his senseless
violence is at times liberating and frighting, only to get even more hypnotized
when he clashes against Lancaster’s calm and unnaturally controlled demeanor. On
the flip side, Mr. Hoffman delivers a performance of messianic magnitude. A
prophet and a liar all at once, manipulative but engulfed by sadness. He seems
to be sure of his answers, of his way to “process” people to bring their true
selves to the surface. His wife seems to have a strong grip on his life, the
constant reminder of why he must keep this farce going even if he lost faith in
it himself, its too late to back down.
As separate pieces Phoenix and Hoffman are excellent, but
when they are on screen together it’s just a magnetic, indescribable
experience. I assure you that when the initial “processing” of Quell happens
your eyes will be irremediably attached to the screen, it is a match between
one’s fake knowledge trying to tame the other’s raw flesh. They need each other to keep believing
in themselves and in the idea that they can become better. As Peggy
mentions, perhaps Quells is “past being helped”, but isn’t God fonder of his
more astray and deviant children, because those are the ones that give Him
purpose. Anderson has created a masterpiece that should be watched and analyzed
for its visual beauty, its masterful acting, and the greatness of its theme.
Technically the film is just glorious, the cinematography is captivating and
elegant, the era it tries to recreate feels tangible and shiny, vast vistas and
intimate conversations all shot with a poetic vision that deserves praise. The
music haunting and ideal for such images, like a symphony scoring the absolute
battle between good and evil, epic and subtle all at once. From frame one to its
closing sequence it is just one of the best films not only of the year but also
in decades. A serious contender for everything this upcoming award season, a
sure nominee for the Best Picture Oscar, and more than certain for the male
acting and directorial categories.
Needless to say this is a must see, for sure part of my top
films of the year and a necessary view for any serious film lover. Paul Thomas
Anderson and its cast and crew deserve a standing ovation for such work. If you
are not afraid of “The Master” processing your ideas of life and
humanity itself, I recommend you go watch it with an open mind and let yourself
be guided by this wonderful film. Now out in limited release and expanding.
Grade A+
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