Movie Review: The Master

The Master (2012)
Directed by: Paul Thomas Anderson
Starring: Joaquin Phoenix, Philip Seymour Hoffman and Amy Adams

I reviewed this film for The Hollywood News.

Paul Thomas Anderson’s ambitious follow-up to his 2007 masterpiece There Will Be Blood has received a lot of ink touting it as the origin tale of Scientology. And, while aspects of The Cause (the cult at the heart of Anderson’s narrative) often mirrors certain methods promoted by Scientology, to simply categorize The Master as a loosely-based look at L. Ron Hubbard is to do it a great disservice.

The idea of a Scientology-like “religion” is used only as a narrative framing device — the film itself poses much more thought-provoking questions. Why are we susceptible to mind control and manipulation? What does it ultimately say about the human condition? Just how fragile are we?

Discharged US Navy officer and alcoholic Freddie Quell (Joaquin Phoenix) falls under the influence of the charismatic Lancaster Dodd (Philip Seymour Hoffman), taking to his cult group The Cause in a desperate attempt to tame his animalistic nature and put an end to his own rootlessness.

However, The Master is an intricate character study, first and foremost. It chronicles the lives of two very different men carrying their own unique emotional baggage. When the two collide and, for a brief time, appear to understand one another, it becomes apparent that their only real difference is how they each choose to handle their inner torment. Where Dodd went on to become The Master to the followers of The Cause, Freddie wallowed in his misery, constantly conjuring images of his violent past and the love of his life that he let slip away.

As Freddie Quell, Phoenix gives what is arguably the finest performance of his career to date. From his physical transformation to his fierce intensity, his full commitment to the role is palpable. His Freddie is a lost soul so damaged that he seems beyond repair. You don’t doubt that his admiration for Lancaster Dodd is genuine, although he appears to simultaneously love and loathe the only man who has ever given him the time of day. He’s teetering on the edge of insanity and Phoenix’s shocking performance is absolutely mesmerizing to watch.

With Lancaster Dodd, Hoffman is equally compelling as he goes from a charismatic father figure to launching a tirade of abuse against anyone who dares question his theories on life. Dodd thrives on the admiration of others and, beneath his jovial exterior, masks an ego that constantly needs nourishing.

In these early stages of the awards season, Phoenix and Hoffman are two clear frontrunners.

To enhance an already vivid experience, Anderson used 70 mm cinematography from director of photography, Mihai Malaimare Jr. The end result is a series of gloriously lensed, razor-sharp images that pop off the screen and lend the performances — specifically Phoenix’s haunted Freddie — an added layer of realism. You can see every line on his furrowed brow.

The Master is one of those films that will undoubtedly benefit from multiple viewings. While it may appear that the script only scratches the surface of its deeper questions and philosophies, Anderson’s latest entry does not judge his characters or their actions and does what any great film should — generate discussion, not only about film but life in general.

FINAL GRADE: A-

Movie Review: Moneyball

Brad Pitt as Oakland A's GM Billy Beane

Moneyball (2011)
Directed By: Bennett Miller
Written By: Aaron Sorkin and Steven Zaillian
Based on the Book By: Michael Lewis
Starring: Brad Pitt, Jonah Hill and Philip Seymour-Hoffman

"It's hard not to be romantic about baseball." There's a lot of truth behind that quote, uttered by Brad Pitt in the lead role as Oakland Athletics General Manager, Billy Beane. There's no denying the long love affair that American cinema has had with the sport -- more than any other game it looks and sounds the best on the big screen, from those slow-motion pitches to the sharp crack of a bat. It's a sport filled with long and quiet lulls, punctuated by moments of euphoria and excitement, much like we experience in life.

Adapted from Michael Lewis' 2003 novel Moneyball: The Art of Winning an Unfair Game, director Bennett Miller's film closely examines the 2001-2 season of the down-on-their luck Oakland A's. As Billy (Brad Pitt) explains to his teams scouts, "There are rich teams and there are poor teams, then there's 50 feet of crap, and then there's us." Billy is, essentially, completely handicapped by the lowest salary constraint in the big leagues. Where teams like the New York Yankees boast millions of dollars to pick and choose from among the best prospects, the A's have a middling few hundred thousand to spend. When Billy recruits Peter Brand (Jonah Hill), an economics major from Harvard, as his new assistant GM, Billy risks alienating his entire staff as he and Peter play a strange numbers game in an attempt to lure cheap, seemingly mediocre players to fill their roster. Billy and Peter are under the assumption that they can assemble a playoff-worthy team under budget by using a computer-generated analysis created by a factory worker named Bill James to draft players. To the majority of scouts and owners, Billy has lost his mind and irresponsibly erases decades worth of how baseball franchises go about forming their teams.

Moneyball is one of the best sports genre movies released in years. It instantly made my top five favourite sports films list (which also includes baseball classics Bull Durham, Field of Dreams and A League of Their Own, along with the underrated soccer gem The Damned United). However, unlike the other films mentioned, Moneyball delves into the behind-the-scenes drama and inner workings of what it takes to build a winning team. There's more drama behind office desks than on the field.

Pitt and Hill as Billy Beane and Peter Brand.

With Aaron Sorkin and Steven Zaillian's sharp dialogue and expert pacing, Moneyball manages to take what, on paper, may read as a dull plot and crafts an inspirational saga about a team of underdogs.

The chemistry between Pitt and Hill is what really drives the fantastic script home. They have an instinctual knack for comedic timing, yet both demonstrate they have the dramatic chops to keep the film grounded. This odd couple carries the weight of the film on their shoulders, with occasional help from an excellent Philip Seymour-Hoffman in the small role of A's manager Art Howe.

This is Pitt's maturest performance to date -- he's subtle and nuanced, even in the lighter comedic moments. Whether spitting tobacco or tossing aside chairs, he's both a loving father and a quick-to-anger former athlete who loves the game of baseball. Billy is the outcast at the centre of a struggling sports franchise and, while all eyes are on him to turn things around quickly, he ultimately becomes the beating heart of the team. He doesn't just want to win, he wants it to mean something.

Moneyball examines the harsh realities that face major league teams when they are unable to take it all the way and the pressures that come with a restless fanbase and hovering owners breathing down your neck. Movies like Moneyball force us to remember that, despite the abundance of riches in professional sports, there are those who really do care -- for love of the game.

FINAL GRADE: A