Team Experience: The Master
Wednesday, September 26, 2012 at 11:15PM I'm out and about again (finally!) so my greedy eyeballs will be on The Master soon. I challenged Team Experience to describe the film in three words since so many critics can't even settle on what it's even about (I'm avoiding reviews but the non-consensus as to meaning is out there).
Four brave souls took me up on the challenge...
Matt Zurcher writes:
Fevered heart need.
The intensity of The Master is impossible to understate. The style itself is unhinged -- crazy, even. The characters are bloated visions of Freudian extremes. The Master is filmmaking of the highest order, yes. But it's also cinema that works on its own terms, so full of cocky flair and delightful self-indulgence that the audience has no choice but to follow it wherever it wants to go. Anderson's fable can seem alienating or disorganized on first viewing, but a second reveals the director's compassion. Joaquin Phoenix's face is a shattered one, but his tears are so heartbreakingly believable. The passion and need that these two men feel for each other begs to be known. And in all the intellectualization of this film that we're going to see, let us remember that it's really just about two people who need each other and who love each other. It's the best love story I've seen since Punch-Drunk Love.
You can read Matt's full review here.
Beau McCoy writes:
Opaque Rabid Jazz"The Master" makes "Cosmopolis" look as accessible as a Spielberg film. Purposely distant and muddled; what are we watching and why? Ferocity abounds in its many forms and incarnations. Moves like a jazz solo; we don't know where we're going. Why should it matter? Premature.
Alexa says:
Disappointing Beautiful Molasses
There's a truly great film here waiting to be pulled out of the molasses...
You can read more of her thoughts, here.
Finally, Jose was even more succinct but I suspect it's something of a spoiler so I'm putting it after the jump...
Lady Amy Macbeth
I chose the three words because I NEVER saw that coming from her. Also, the sink scene ew...
Oh great. Fevered hearts, including Lady Macbeth's needing and needing, scored to rabid jazz? Now I'm even more desperate to see it!
If you hit the jump I assume you've seen it. Can YOU sum up your response or describe the experience in three words?
Reader Comments (22)
Rorschach test. Handjob.
But in a good way!
Stunning, emotionally distant.
The sink scene - which deserves an ew, no question - is actually my second favourite scene in the movie. I never saw her like that either but it was powerful.
My favourite scene (SPOILER) is Freddie's processing, where he's not allowed to blink. I couldn't blink either. So so so powerfully acted.
I know it's saying a lot, but I think this is the best performance of their careers for both Hoffman and Phoenix.
Bewitching, savage, oceanic.
It's Big Art but also knife-to-the-gut personal and tough to pin down. Plus, more literally, the ocean's a repeated visual motif.
It's illogical to reduce The Master into three words. Three word responses are for mundane and common things. The Master is a gift. An unassuming one that seduces with a startling jolt backwards in your chair from a shoe-less foot in the crotch. Once you've decided you're okay with the seduction you're led on a path of what you've secretly wanted but believed it was out of reach. And no longer yours to have. I'll leave you with a three name highlight but not a summation.
Joaquin, Greenwood, Anderson
@4rtful: I love you. Always the rebel. :D
The film is really befuddling me. I genuinely don't know what to think about it. There are scenes here that are just marvelous, others that I couldn't for the life of me comprehend within the context of the story.
OT: Spain's Oscar submission is Blancanieves (Snow White)
Oh good, I was wondering when you'd be able to see the movie and talk about it. I saw it last weekend and have been pondering it since.
My three words: Joaquin Phoenix supercallifragilisticexpialadocious
I mean...the movie IS a period-set remake of "Punch Drunk Love," right?
I was in awe of the work by Hoffman and Phoenix, certainly, but the fact is that these men are not giving us the best "acting" of their lives, or even of the year. These are the best performances because they are affects, mannerisms, gestures, albeit grandiose and fantastical in their measure and proportion. But these aren't characters, these aren't people, I don't know what they are, but this is not acting.
What Adams does here? Jesse Plemons? THAT'S acting. Wowza.
Three words...hmmmm.
Perfect. Perfect. Perfect.
Three words: "What the F*$k!" (In a good way)
Fraudulent corrosive gorgeous
Beau, I had a similar reaction and went back about a week later. It all made a great deal more sense. And it was a lot funnier, too.
Three words hmmm...
interesting. confusing. vague.
I don't know what to think of it either.
Prometheus: Arthouse Version
Beautiful to look at, script seems like it was on the third draft when it needed to get to 15. Opaque enough that the viewer can lay whatever he likes on what it all means. Or not.
@Beau: You've made me the envy of the world.
@Beau:
What specifically is troubling you? After 4 viewings, I've discovered that the film has an incredibly tight, organized, specific structure. There's only one scenario that I believe wasn't necessary in the final cut. Maybe we can point you towards enlightenment. ;)
I have 6, directed at PT, tied into my reaction to his last movie: Option The Bone People now, please.
When people say distant, do they mean There Will Be Blood distant? Or The Girlfriend Experience distant?
there's no master.
Sluggish stupefying bore
Perplexing. Perverse. Powerful.