The Master (2012)
Average Rating: 8.1/10
Reviews Counted: 223
Fresh: 190 | Rotten: 33
Smart and solidly engrossing, The Master extends Paul Thomas Anderson's winning streak of challenging films for serious audiences.
Average Rating: 8.2/10
Critic Reviews: 50
Fresh: 40 | Rotten: 10
Smart and solidly engrossing, The Master extends Paul Thomas Anderson's winning streak of challenging films for serious audiences.
liked it
Average Rating: 3.4/5
User Ratings: 43,372
Movie Info
A striking portrait of drifters and seekers in post World War II America, Paul Thomas Anderson's The Master unfolds the journey of a Naval veteran (Joaquin Phoenix) who arrives home from war unsettled and uncertain of his future - until he is tantalized by The Cause and its charismatic leader (Philip Seymour Hoffman). -- (C) Weinstein
Watch It Now
Cast
-
Joaquin Phoenix
Freddie Quell, Fredd... -
Philip Seymour Hoffm...
Lancaster Dodd -
Amy Adams
Mary Sue Dodd, Peggy... -
Laura Dern
Helen, Helen Sulliva... -
Jesse Plemons
Val Dodd -
David Warshofsky
Philadelphia Police,... -
Rami Malek
Clark -
Price Carson
V.A. Doctor -
Mike Howard
Rorschach Doctor -
Sarah Shoshana David
V.A. Nurse -
Bruce Goodchild
V.A./Doctor Intervie... -
Matt Hering
V.A. Patient -
Dan Anderson
V.A. Patient -
Andrew Koponen
V.A. Patient -
Jeffrey Jenkins
V.A. Patient -
Patrick Biggs
V.A. Patient -
Ryan Curtis
V.A. Patient -
Jay Laurence
V.A. Patient -
Abraxas Adams
V.A. Patient -
Tina Bruna
Portrait Customer -
Kevin Hudnell
Portrait Customer -
Hunter Craig
Portrait Customer -
Ryder Craig
Portrait Customer -
Rodion Salnikov
Portrait Customer -
Emily Gilliam
Portrait Customer -
Kody Klein
Portrait Customer -
Amy Ferguson
Martha the Salesgirl -
W. Earl Brown
Fighting Businessman -
Frank Bettag
Frank -
Ariel Felix
Filipino Worker -
Vladimir Velasco
Filipino Worker -
John Mark Reyes
Filipino Worker -
Brian Fong
Filipino Worker -
Diane Cortejo
Young Filipino Woman -
Leonida A. Bautista
Nana -
Myrna de Dios
Angry Filipino Woman -
Katie Boland
Young Woman -
Ambyr Childers
Elizabeth Dodd -
Lorelai Hoey
Baby -
Martin D. Dew
Norman Conrad -
Joshua Close
Wayne Gregory -
Jillian Bell
Susan Gregory -
Kevin Walsh
Cliff Boyd -
Lena Endre
Mrs. Solstad -
Madisen Beaty
Doris Solstad -
William H. O'Brien
Hiring Hall Voice -
Kevin J. O'Connor
Bill William -
Patty McCormack
Mildred Drummond -
Mimi Cozzens
Chi Chi Crawford -
Zan Overall
Bartender -
Barbara Brownell
Margaret O'Brien -
Jill Andre
Beatrice Campbell -
Brigitte Hagerman
New York Party Girl -
Charley Morgan
New York Lawyer -
Christopher Evan Wel...
John More -
Barlow Jacobs
James Sullivan -
Gigi Benson
Dancer -
Liz Clare
Dancer -
Fiona Dourif
Dancer -
Audrey Finer
Dancer -
Rose Fox
Dancer -
Bailey Hopkins
Dancer -
Mari Kearney
Dancer -
Sarah Klaren
Dancer -
Ally Johnson
Dancer -
Brittany Kilcoyne Mc...
Dancer -
Larain Ring
Dancer -
Kimberly Ables Jindr...
Processing Patient -
Theodore M. Crisell
Jail Bird -
Tom Knickerbocker
Judge Phoenix -
Eban Schletter
Band Member - Piano -
Scott Rodgers
Band Member - Drum -
Melora Walters
Band Member - Voice -
Emily Jordan
British Receptionist -
Amanda Caryn Jobbins
British Receptionist -
Olivia Rosemarie Bar...
Pub Customer -
Napolean Ryan
Pub Customer -
Jennifer Neala Page
Winn Manchester
ADVERTISEMENT
The Master Trailer & Photos
All Critics (223) | Top Critics (50) | Fresh (190) | Rotten (33) | DVD (3)
It's a mess; it's pretentious; it is thundery with dismay.
Top CriticIn the end it may not have the emotional uplift the Academy or a popular mainstream audience craves, but make no mistake, this is an enthralling drama about a peculiarly American restlessness, and the striving for insight and grace.
[A] challenging, psychologically fraught drama.
The actors' commitment to their roles is impressive, but it's tethered to a weightless, airless movie, a film so enamored of itself, the audience gets shut out.
The Master may go down as one of Paul Thomas Anderson's most compelling works for two simple reasons: Joaquin Phoenix and Philip Seymour Hoffman.
Where There Will Be Blood transmuted sullen earth into flame and launched it violently skyward, The Master is, as its opening shot advertises, a more fluid undertaking, a story of ebb and flow.
There is so much spark here, so much to absorb, that the effect defies any picking of nits and just makes one grateful.
A perverted sausage party in which Anderson fully indulges his obsession with male genitalia.
The film never lags. It is too gorgeous, too expertly acted, and above all, too well directed and written. Nearly devoid of exposition, "The Master" unfolds seamlessly and naturally.
THE MASTER is challenging, perplexing, at times infuriating - and always thoughtful. Indelible. And always, always beautiful.
by itself, gives lie to the idea that Americans don't make great, nuanced, complicated films. It's sublime.
Paul Thomas Anderson's The Master is a challenging film, like most of his work. One that evokes a spellbinding performance out of Joaquin Phoenix.
Despite sumptuous cinematography and sublime acting, Paul Thomas Anderson's latest film ultimately feels a touch pointless.
There is not too much by way of extras in the new Blu-ray release of the under appreciated film, "The Master," but what is there is excellent.
Admirável ao permitir que o filme desenvolva seus temas e personagens ao seguir em direções frequentemente inesperadas, Anderson continua a demonstrar seu talento como cineasta tanto pela maturidade de seus temas quanto por seu preciosismo estético.
Refusing to wrestle with the veracity or the real implications of The Cause, one begins to question what is underpinning the entire exercise, an ambiguity that, as with Kubrick, will require multiple viewings to unravel.
The at-times-impenetrable film will require multiple viewings to fully appreciate the multitude of themes and subtext.
Anderson has achieved his mid-century epic, and in its pure 65mm sumptuousness, the great American movie.
THE MASTER is a brilliant film. THE MASTER is a confounding film. The Master is a terrible film. THE MASTER may talked about for the ages or forgotten in a few years. THE MASTER may be a masterpiece, THE MASTER may be empty of content...
THE MASTER is brilliant and/or confounding and/or terrible. It may be talked about for the ages or forgotten in a few years. It may be a masterpiece, and/or it may be empty of content masked by strong moments of acting prowess and visual flare.
With almost no narrative progression, this film is basically a character study in which the main characters remain little changed and enigmatic.
The least accessible of Anderson's films, and the least enjoyable, but it's intelligent and original enough for him to remain a "must-see" director.
For me, it is a masterpiece, a visually stunning explosion of pure cinema, emotionally charged with a penetrating psychological punch. If you are bored by this film, to paraphrase the great Samuel Johnson, then you are bored with life.
Audience Reviews for The Master
Super Reviewer
Super Reviewer
-
- Val Dodd: He's making all this up as he goes along. You don't see that? I could go to sleep for hours and when I woke up I wouldn't have missed a thing.
-
- British Receptionist: You look like you've traveled here.
- Freddie Quell: How else do you get someplace?
-
- Freddie Quell: What do you do?
- Lancaster Dodd: I am a writer, a doctor, a nuclear physicist and a theoretical philosopher. But above all, I am a man, a hopelessly inquisitive man, just like you.
-
- Lancaster Dodd: I would like to talk to you today about cold feet, and narrow minds. People with cold feet cannot move forward. People with narrow minds cannot move side to side.
-
- Lancaster Dodd: Are you thoughtless in your remarks?
- Freddie Quell: No.
- Lancaster Dodd: Is your life a struggle?
- Freddie Quell: No.
- Lancaster Dodd: Is your behavior erratic?
- Freddie Quell: No.
- Lancaster Dodd: Are you unpredictable?
- Freddie Quell: [farts and laughs]
-
- Mary Sue Dodd: He's dangerous, and he will be our undoing if we continue to have him here. Perhaps he's past help. Or insane.
Discussion Forum
| Topic | Last Post | Replies |
|---|---|---|
| The Master - terrible | 50 days ago | 88 |
| Oscar Nominations | 6 months ago | 41 |
| You fucktards, this movie is superb | 2 months ago | 14 |
| Rotten Tomato Rankings | 6 months ago | 0 |
What's Hot On RT
New Desolation of Smaug trailer!
Naomi Watts is Princess Di
The Hangover 3, The Purge, and More
Trailer for a squirrely heist flick
See what's on TV tonight
Latest News on The Master
March 1, 2013:
Digital Multiplex: The Master, The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 2, and MoreThis weekend in streaming, we've got an Oscar-nominated drama (The Master) and the conclusion to a...
January 24, 2013:
Joaquin Phoenix in Talks for Inherent ViceClearly, Phoenix and Paul Thomas Anderson enjoyed their time together on "The Master."
December 18, 2012:
Toronto Film Critics Association 2012 Awards WinnersOn December 18th, the Toronto Film Critics Association revealed the winners of the TFCA 2012 Awards,...
Fresh Links
Featured
Halloween Movies For Wimps
Scary movies too scary for you? Here are some alternatives for October 31st.
10 Best Superhero TV Shows
HitFix combs through TV history to compile a superpowered list.
Ridiculous Movie Mistakes
RollingStone proves even the best movies miss a details here and there.
Deadly Movie Kids
Moviefone lists 11 Movie Kids Who Could Kick Our Asses.
50 States, 50 Movies
For July 4th, TimeOut has compiled 50 state-specific movie choices.
Promos
Follow RT on Twitter!
Spice up your feed with hourly Tomatometer updates!
Featured on RT
- Primetime Preview: Supernatural, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. and More 0
- RT on DVD & Blu-Ray: The Hangover Part III, The Purge, and More 11
- Primetime Preview: Beauty and the Beast, Sleepy Hollow and More 0
- NYFF: Joaquin Phoenix and James Gray talk The Immigrant 2
- Box Office Guru Wrapup: Gravity Stuns with Record $55M Launch 80
- Primetime Preview: Witches of East End, Once Upon a Time and More 4
- Weekly Ketchup: Disney Plans Live Action Cruella de Vil Movie 37
Top Headlines
-
Fox Animated Series, ABC Comedies Tumble in Sunday Ratings
0
-
Bong Joon-ho Reportedly "Furious" About Snowpiercer Cuts
0
-
Record-Setting Number of Films Competing in Foreign-Language Oscar Race
0
-
Woody Allen Cancels Blue Jasmine's India Premiere
1
-
Lionsgate Wants Gary Ross and Jennifer Lawrence's Burial Rites
1
-
ABC Plans Kevin Hart-Inspired Series
0
-
The Shining's Danny Torrance Is All Grown Up
1
