The Master

Paul Thomas Anderson might not exactly be a household name to the average moviegoer, but he is certainly one of the most talented directors today. His pictures are aesthetically so simple, and yet so deep and complex. You can watch them as the simple story at the surface, or you can spend hours unraveling the themes and ideas every line, every scene, and every shot may implicate.

His last film, 2007’s There Will Be Blood, can be viewed simply as the story of a ruthless oil baron in the early 20^th Century. But dig a little deeper, and the movie works as a parable on greed, isolation, capitalism, religion, or human nature, among other things. It’s easily one of the best films since the start of the new millennium.

Anderson's newest film The Master similarly works on many different levels. The subject taking center stage this time is religion and indoctrination, specifically that of a new age cult, as seen through the firsthand experience of one man.

That man is Freddie Quell (Joaquin Phoenix), a depraved drifter returning from World War II.  More than an alcoholic, the film depicts him drinking machine oil while in the service and making cocktails out of dangerous chemicals. He is quite sexually ravenous, but seemingly can’t cope on a personal or societal level. After failing to keep some meager jobs, he drunkenly wanders on board a yacht owned by Lancaster Dodd (Philip Seymour Hoffman), the founder of a radical new religion called The Cause. Dodd sees in Freddie a potential convert, and takes him under his wing as a follower.

Some have speculated that the story is based on L. Ron Hubbard and Scientology. I can’t say for certain if it is or not, because the extent of my knowledge of Scientology doctrine comes from South Park. It doesn’t really matter, though, because the content presented in the film can act as stand-in for any fanatical belief system.

The ritual indoctrination on display is wrenching and excruciating. Ostensibly, Dodd seeks to help people, and yet, none of The Cause’s activities ever seem to be even remotely spiritual, just manipulative and spirit-breaking. Such a stark, unfiltered look at the dark side of a cult mentality is different from anything depicted in Hollywood before, as it seems so real and unglamorous.

Great performances that are tailor-made for award season abound in the picture. It’s good that Joaquin Phoenix’s announcement that he was quitting acting turned out to be a hoax, because for all his off-screen eccentricities, he can still deliver a great performance. As Freddie, he is pitiful and, at some points, disturbing as a man with many demons, and who's quite probably mentally ill. Yet, he comes off as a real human being, not an exaggerated caricature. He’s even somehow, in spite of everything, sympathetic (maybe just because of the way The Cause uses him). It’s possible that Phoenix’s weird behavior surrounding said hoax makes him even more believable in the role.

Philip Seymour Hoffman plays Dodd as an enigma, for it’s never quite clear whether or not he actually believes what he preaches. His angry outbursts when people question him suggest he’s just a con man. Yet, his devotion to saving Freddie, who it becomes obvious is beyond help, makes it seem like he really believes what he’s doing is right, or at least he’s convinced himself he’s right. For all the character's manipulative charisma and demagoguery, Hoffman still convincingly walks this fine line between prophet and fraud, never firmly stepping on either side and leaving it up to the viewer to decide where he stands.

Amy Adams is also very good as Dodd’s status-seeking wife. Unlike her husband, her true nature is obvious, as she only takes part in The Cause’s activity for the power it allots her as its leader’s wife. Adams usually plays such likeable characters that it’s a little weird to see her as an overbearing, guilt-instilling shrew, but she plays the part well.

And all this is just on the surface. So many little pieces throughout could suggest completely different interpretations. One example: Some scenes from Freddie’s point of view, especially flashbacks to his hometown love Doris (Madisen Beaty) prior to the War, seem to have a surreal quality, possibly suggesting that they’re all in his head. The ending also leaves questions: Did The Cause help Freddie, or was it just another stop on his aimless journey through life? Again, the answer could change with each viewer.

Admittedly, the film as a whole is not exactly the most enjoyable cinematic experience. There are really slow stretches, and some of it is rather unpleasant, such as the aforementioned indoctrination sequences and the jarring, unerotic sexual content. But while the adrenal gland may take the movie off, the mind is working overtime, which is arguably a more rewarding experience.