The Master

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The Master

R

2012

2h 16m

Drama

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

85%

Tomatometer

257 Reviews

62%

Popcornmeter

50,000+ Ratings

Freddie Quell (Joaquin Phoenix) is a troubled, boozy drifter struggling with the trauma of World War II and whatever inner demons ruled his life before that. On a fateful night in 1950, Freddie boards a passing boat and meets Lancaster Dodd (Philip Seymour Hoffman), the charismatic leader of a religious movement called the Cause. Freddie tries hard to adhere to Dodd's weird teachings and forms a close bond with his mentor, even as other members of Dodd's inner circle see him as a threat.

Critics Consensus

Smart and solidly engrossing, The Master extends Paul Thomas Anderson's winning streak of challenging films for serious audiences.

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J. Hoberman

ARTINFO.com

02/25/2019

The main thing is that The Master is so unlike anything else in its seriousness and so admirable in its vitality that one has to support it.

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Deborah Ross

The Spectator

09/01/2018

It is all so enigmatic and underwritten I felt rather shut out. A 'challenging' film is one thing, but one that actually slams the door in your face is quite another, as well as rude.

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Nick Pinkerton

Sight & Sound

04/09/2018

Towering standalone moments all, they are certainly impressive when first encountered, though they wobble perilously the longer one looks at them...It isn't a great film - but it has a great film rattling around inside it.

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Matt Brunson

Film Frenzy

Feb 16

2.5/4

"You are passionate … but you do not persuade." That snatch of dialogue from Amadeus might as well be the slogan for Paul Thomas Anderson’s The Master.

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Ezequiel Obregón

EscribiendoCine

May 26

10/10

With its sordid humor and lack of heroics, The Master is likely to be viewed as a bitter tale about faith in American society, oscillating between pragmatism and profit. [Full review in Spanish]

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Fico Cangiano

CineXpress Podcast

03/28/2025

4.5/5

The electricity between actors Joaquin Phoenix and Philip Seymour Hoffman is off the charts in this complex study of power, loyalty and contradictions. [Full review in Spanish]

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Alison L

@RT56775296 Mar 30

A talented cast lost in a quagmire of a disjointed story that lingers but never gets anyplace. Phoenix tries to hard, with a variety of affectations, that are more for drama than than his character. Hoffman was a believable megalomanic and his passing was a loss to the film industry. I barely got through this film and would not recommend it.

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Viewer

@M2c46 Feb 6

Anything Hoffman was in keeps me interested. Well acted, I just wish that he had held on and lived years longer. One of the best actors of all time.

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Zane T

@ZaneThind Nov 29

A beautiful shot and masterfully acted film. It's a psychological drama that will make you feel depressed in the end. This is a slow burn so you're in for a ride. But whenever Hoffman is on screen he steals the show.

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Harry H.

@Movies10 Oct 26

Idk for a film about a ptsd ridden WW2 veteran joining a cult i thought it would be more tense it was fine for one viewing but I dont plan on watching it again.

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Julian M.

@Julian.mcclain Oct 9

Another gem for PTA. It warrants a second veiwing though; the rating could go up even more after.

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Griffith J

@griffithxjohnson Oct 4

Some of the most mesmerizing & engrossing acting of this century. The strange & unsettling style of Anderson is in full swing yet it works so well. Deep layers of themes about power & authority are emotionally provoking & sweep me up into the drama. Every aspect feels very intentional, even if it’s not terribly clear. Definitely not the type of film for everyone but diving into the uncomfortable is hugely rewarding.

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Paul Thomas Anderson

Director

Joaquin Phoenix

Freddie Quell

Philip Seymour Hoffman

Lancaster Dodd

Amy Adams

Peggy Dodd

Laura Dern

Helen Sullivan

Jesse Plemons

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Synopsis

Freddie Quell (Joaquin Phoenix) is a troubled, boozy drifter struggling with the trauma of World War II and whatever inner demons ruled his life before that. On a fateful night in 1950, Freddie boards a passing boat and meets Lancaster Dodd (Philip Seymour Hoffman), the charismatic leader of a religious movement called the Cause. Freddie tries hard to adhere to Dodd's weird teachings and forms a close bond with his mentor, even as other members of Dodd's inner circle see him as a threat.

Director: Paul Thomas Anderson
Producer: JoAnne Sellar, Daniel Lupi, Paul Thomas Anderson, Megan Ellison
Screenwriter: Paul Thomas Anderson
Distributor: Weinstein Co.
Production Co: Ghoulardi Film Company, Joanne Sellar, Annapurna Pictures
Rating: R (Language|Graphic Nudity|Sexual Content)
Genre: Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Sep 14, 2012, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Jul 12, 2014
Box Office (Gross USA): $16.2M
Runtime: 2h 16m
Sound Mix: Datasat, Dolby Digital

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