Review: The Master

                                                

            P.T. Anderson Once Again Proves He Is A 'Master' of Filmmaking

I remember a few years ago, I discovered the masterpiece Boogie Nights, made by the directing maestro, Paul Thomas Anderson. Now, he delivers another masterpiece known as The Master.

                  Synopsis:
          The Master is a period drama set in post-World War II about a sex-obsessed veteran named Freddie Quell (Joaquin Phoenix) who reverts to alcoholism after his ordeal with the war. Eventually, he meets the charismatic leader of a scientologist-type cult named Lancaster Dodd (Philip Seymour Hoffman), and he accompanies him as he travels the country to spread his teachings.

                 What I Liked About It:
          While I did enjoy the film as a whole, to me, there were a few aspects of the film that truly stood out, aside from its brilliant story and cinematography.

         First and foremost, the thing that I loved the most about of the film is of course, the directing by Paul Thomas Anderson. He did such a marvelous job with his camera techniques, how he directs the actors and the way he directs the conflicts that take place in the film. With his direction of this film, he truly proves why he is one of the greatest filmmakers working today, and I look forward to his future work.

        Next, there is the three lead actors: Joaquin Phoenix, Philip Seymour Hoffman, and Amy Adams. All of them deserved their respective Oscar nominations and truly gave standout performances. Joaquin Phoenix gives the best performance of his career as Freddie Quell. Philip Seymour Hoffman unsurprisingly delivers a scene-stealing performance as Lancaster Dodd. Amy Adams plays Dodd's wife Peggy and portrays the character with such ferocity and strong will power.

                What I Didn't Like About It:
       This one is pretty tough, because there is not much that I hated about this film. I'll admit, as soon as the movie was over, I was a bit confused with the ending. But eventually, I decided that maybe Anderson wanted it to be open-ended. I won't give anything away, so I'll just leave it at that.

                Consensus:
       Overall, The Master is an emotionally compelling and well crafted drama that succeeds thanks to the performances from its three lead actors and the direction from Paul Thomas Anderson.

Rating: 5/5 stars