The Master: Trying to figure out The Cause and, quite frankly, the point

We love the films of Paul Thomas Anderson, the guy behind cult classics such as Magnolia, Boogie Nights, Hard Eight and There Will Be Blood. And yet The Master, his much-anticipated latest opus, doesn’t measure up to previous efforts. While the performances of Joaquin Phoenix and Philip Seymour Hoffman are magnetic, the movie’s narrative which, like all of Anderson’s films is centered on the relationship of a “family” in the face of an often-challenging and disapproving father figure, didn’t hold our interest.

The plot centers as much on Freddie (Phoenix), an ex-Navy alcoholic drifter with a violent streak, as it does on Lancaster (Hoffman), the leader of a new faith-based organization that seems tailor-made to capitalize on the post-war trauma experienced by veterans. So damaged that he can’t even hold down the simplest of jobs, Freddie meets Lancaster after becoming a stowaway on the boat that Lancaster has rented out for his daughter’s wedding. For reasons unknown, the two become fast friends, though Lancaster constantly tries (and fails) to tame Freddie’s temper.  The movie centers on this conflict and suggests that Lancaster – the “master” – is a really manipulating a poor man suffering from the psychological scars of a world war.

When Phoenix and Hoffman go head-to-head, which happens often, the sparks really fly. But the film never settles upon a clear resolution (and there’s not a clear climax), making it hard to understand the overall point other than to serve as a bit of a critique of scientology – Lancaster’s character is loosely based on Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard. Filled with interesting moments, two strong performances and a small snapshot of an era in time, the sum is not as good as the parts. For us, this one isn’t worth a second viewing, in this life or the next.