The Master

2013 • 137 minutes

About this movie

Set in America in the years following World War II, a charismatic intellectual (Philip Seymour Hoffman) launches a faith-based organization and taps a young drifter (Joaquin Phoenix) as his right-hand man. But as the faith begins to gain a fervent following, the onetime vagabond finds himself questioning the belief system he has embraced, and his mentor. 2012 Weinstein Company. All Rights Reserved.

Ratings and reviews

A weird, woozy little film that doesn't know when to end. The key players are very unpleasant characters though the acting can't be faulted I suppose. Subtitles would have made the incessant slurring and mumbling more understandable. Beautifully produced and scored though. Im not sure if it was that revealing of its main (unnamed) target, but the director's unquestioning fans will lap it up I'm sure. Maybe hire Hard Eight instead.

very well made production, beautiful and sensitive BUT... with exception of it's meandering plot and pointless pastiche.I want a refund of my time.

The greatest film of our time for the Thinkers out there! If you can spot the metaphysics theories, it critiques far more than Scientology. If you pay attention to Hoffman/Phoenix, it captures their finest performances ever. But without deep diving into complexity you won’t enjoy this, so any Doers (people who get things done while philosophers like me hide indoors with anxiety) should opt for drama with more action narrative.