The Master

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The Master

R

2012

2h 16m

Drama

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Popcornmeter

85%

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255 Reviews

62%

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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.

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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

Feb 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

Sep 1, 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

Apr 9, 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, 2026

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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Fico Cangiano

CineXpress Podcast

Mar 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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Gianmarco Farfán

Cinencuentro

Jul 17, 2024

An intense, thoughtful and harsh film that shows the contradictions between people with a certain degree of power and those who have no power at all. [Full review in Spanish]

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Brandon B

@syncopatedbeet Sep 25, 2026

The Master is one of those movies that really makes you question the director’s intentions with exploring such dark themes and negative characters. However as the movie comes near its end, you almost start to feel a strange sense of pity for the darkness in mankind and the “powers that be.”

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Teddie B

@TeddieBearReviews Sep 3, 2026

The Master was a cool experience, and I was so intrigued by Philip Seymour Hoffman’s performance. Another good film from Paul Thomas Anderson.

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Morgan M

@morganhmcd Aug 16, 2026

Very thoughtful movie. I would call it a psychological drama. It is very impressive how the master has this dichotomy of being incredibly manipulative while showing love and kindness. Joaquin Phoenix is incredibly lonely and vulnerable, I felt sorrow for him throughout the film.

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Luke P

@Patto Aug 1, 2026

Lets just call a spade a spade, it's a movie about L Ron Hubbard and the origins of Scientology without the E Meter usage. Joaquin drinks so much moonshine he starts humping a naked women carved from sand on a beach, and that's like in the first few minutes of the movie. He then graduates from that, to jerking off facing the ocean with soldiers just chilling out around him. Kinda reminded me of a dude I knew in high school who did something similar after doing too many bucket bongs. Philip Seymour Hoffman wasn't better, as he ended up having tourettes and called some dude a "PIG F@#K" then was JO'd by his Mrs whilst looking at himself in a mirror. He took like 30 seconds to bust which was crazy. Overall the movie was fantastic as far at Paul Thomas Anderson films go. It really spoke to my soul, especially the self pleasuring part, and getting JO'd by a girlfriend.

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S. O

@Col._Angus Jun 1, 2026

Violent Rainman almost joins a Cult

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Christian K

@ckacar May 17, 2026

Incredible performances and direction, some of the best framed shots I've seen which is to be expected with PTA.

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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

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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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