The MasterMovie Reviews

  • So-so Based on 6,604 reviews
    Breakdown:
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    Written September 30, 2012

    Worth seeing for the interesting personality at its center

    by fart4art

    The central character is apparently modeled on L Ron Hubbard of Scientology fame and is played magnetically by Philip Seymour Hoffman. The appeal of his personality is clear, thanks to Hoffman. The appeal of his ideas is not so clear...they seem to be a hodgepodge of paranormal beliefs, outre sci-fi ideas, and mysticism. But, then again, it is perhaps impossible to understand the appeal of these ideas at an intellectual level if one is not drawn to them in the first place. In the film, the first encounters with the Hoffman character fascinate but later developments, while intriguing, never get us to the "a ha" moment. The Master's foil (doppelganger?), a waster played by Joaquin Phoenix, is supposed to help us get to there but the character remains on the fringe of the movie, dramatically speaking. The movie is intriguing enough that you should see it for yourself but it left me somewhat blah in the end.

    • 4 out of 4 found this review helpful.
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  • Oh No!
    Written October 1, 2012

    Don't Go

    by stelo42

    This is perhaps the worst movie I have ever paid to see. I can't believe it, I kept waiting for something to happen and it never did. These two actors are very gifted but they were acting for the sake of acting ($$$). They should be ashamed of themselves for luring people in to see this. Oh yeah the ending made no sense.

    • 4 out of 4 found this review helpful.
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  • I'll Pass
    Written September 22, 2012

    Yikes!

    by pattilaff

    Though the acting is superb, this film is waaaay toooo long and is confusing to boot!
    If you liked the flow and feel of "Tree of Life," you might like this. Beautifully photographed.... Should generate a lot of discussion.

    • 4 out of 4 found this review helpful.
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  • No
    Written September 22, 2012

    Disappointed

    by Roxy_dog

    Love the acting but the script and directing was a huge disservice to these awesome actors. This movie was a lost opportunity to be something special. Totally bummed.

    • 4 out of 4 found this review helpful.
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  • Oh No!
    Written October 14, 2012

    masterfully self-indulgent

    by aewynn

    plodding, repetitive, ponderous and pompous... oh, and really, really boring when it's not absolutely irritating. Why are professional reviewers afraid to call an ambitious failure a failure? No amount of great acting could counter-balance the indulgent editing, the excessively vague presumptions to high metaphor, and the overarching self-righteousness.
    Enjoy the trailer and stay far, far away...

    • 4 out of 4 found this review helpful.
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  • So-so
    Written September 23, 2012

    Great movie, Be Prepared for What You Are Going to See Though.

    by

    Great movie. Great character study. Beautiful. Elements of ID and EGO as well as MASTER and DOG. Defining roles for both actors. But very hard to force yourself to watch, because no one is redeemable.

    • 4 out of 4 found this review helpful.
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  • Oh No!
    Written October 1, 2012

    Pretentious and pointless

    by MAllingham

    We went to this movie because the reviews were outstanding, the actors are first-rate, and the trailer suggested there was a plot and character development worthy of attention. The professional reviewers either haven't seen the movie or are hallucinating. The 2 hours and 20 minutes are a complete waste of time. The movie was painful to watch, as subplots and characters appeared, then vanished without explanation, and one deeply profound close-up was followed by another, unattached to even the hint of a coherent story line. The only reason we didn't walk out after 10 minutes was faith in the reputation of the actors and the reviewers. In the end, we could only conclude that this faith was misplaced and that the film is a complete waste of time.

    • 4 out of 4 found this review helpful.
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  • Must Go!
    Written October 1, 2012

    Mesmerizing movie

    by kenajones

    First, need to say that this movie is not for everyone. I found it very entertaining, with lots to think about. Which is more important to me than the usual mind-numbing, non-stop action provided by most movies. But if great acting, characters, movie-making craft is your cup of tea, definitely see The Master. PT Anderson is one of our best writer/directors. If you liked There Will Be Blood, I'm sure you'll like his latest. Just saw it last night and can't wait for a second viewing.

    • 4 out of 4 found this review helpful.
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  • No
    Written October 7, 2012

    waste of money!

    by luvstainless

    No doubt these actors are capable but this movie is not worth the money. We are wondering what was the point of the movie. The main actor (Phoenix) is not an actor that should ever play any sex scenes. Close ups are not kind to his face. Save your money at the theater and renting this garbage later on. Hollywood should be penalized for selling crap like this as a movie. Its movie's like this that make me feel that movie theaters should have to refund your ticket price if you walk out before the end of the movie.

    • 4 out of 4 found this review helpful.
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  • Oh No!
    Written October 7, 2012

    The Master is AWFUL

    by

    I thought it got great reviews, but this is not my type of movie. I normally like slow moving cerebral movies as opposed to block buster action, but I was willing myself to fall asleep during this.

    • 4 out of 4 found this review helpful.
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  • Oh No!
    Written October 11, 2012

    The Master

    by cyberjock56

    Im a huge fan of both stars of this movie Hoffman and Phoenix. However I have to put it into the category of the worst film either one has made. Depressing, tedious. Just poor entertainment. Th ePeter Travers of Rolling stone review suckered me to see it. Half the 10 people in the theater at 59th and third in Manhattan walked out. I saw Philip Seymour Hoffman in TheLast Quartet at Hamptons film fest, that film is actually a gem. The master is real bad.

    • 4 out of 4 found this review helpful.
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  • No
    Written September 30, 2012

    The Mess

    by

    I saw on Fandango that The Master was praised by critics and panned by audiences. It was easy to see why.
    The Master had powerful performances by Joaquin Phoenix and Philip Seymour Hoffman. But these characters drifted through a confused narrative that included incest, statutory rape, uncontrolled rage, rotgut alcoholism, sudden violence, an unconsummated homosexual attraction, and one Dali-esque society party during a portion of which all the women are suddenly nude. There wasn?t a positive character in the movie. It was ultimately, a pool of embarrassing, shameful, unsettling and disconnected scenes in which two very good actors gave great performances.
    Critics liked it because it made little sense, so they can talk about it this way and that endlessly; they can teach courses the explaining the meaning of the inexplicable nonsense of the movie. Audiences will be more inclined to be repelled by the movie?s vulgarity and confusion.

    • 4 out of 4 found this review helpful.
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  • So-so
    Written September 23, 2012

    the master

    by sosin

    Great acting, but confusing, non-linear story, director places style over real revelation of characters, motives, or ideas. Fascinating topic, but we did not come away feeling as if we had a deeper understanding of what motivates the cult leader or followers, other than the fact that some followers are deeply damaged (e.g. Phoenix's character) and the leader is borderline nuts (not to mention his wife!) Met friends outside after the film. Their reviews:
    1. "I hated it."
    2. "Oy vay"

    • 4 out of 4 found this review helpful.
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    Written September 30, 2012

    Good but confusing

    by JEBD

    I liked the movie, although there were some very confusing parts. My husband found it too wierd for his taste. It is a good movie to go to with others so you can discuss it later. The acting was terrific! What a cast!

    • 4 out of 4 found this review helpful.
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  • Go
    Written September 30, 2012

    The Master

    by hward444

    Outstanding photography, excellent actors, but the movie needed more editing of unnecessary and inexplicable scenes. Also, the movie would have been better without some of the pornography in it. The filth was included for shock effect, I suppose, and it worked in that way, but the film would have been just as good without two or three of the hard core pornogaphic scenes, IMHO. This movie is defintiely for mature adults and not for kids! Overal rating = 60%.

    • 4 out of 4 found this review helpful.
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The Master Movie Reviews + Ratings

Fans say

So-so
6,604 fan reviews

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heyimcamcook Just watched The Master. Not sure if I’ve ever walked away from a movie understanding this little of what I just watched.

5 hours ago.

pemartinezmatos Saw #TheMaster: Paul Thomas Anderson en estado puro. Trama compleja y de lectura difícil, toca muchos temas. No cuenta nada y lo cuenta todo

14 hours ago.

jayjohero The movie the master was so weird lol Gotta finish the movie soon

19 hours ago.

oliverrthornton Saw #gatsby yesterday. Maybe not the film the critics hoped for but full of incredibly iconic imagery. Lurhmann is the master of excess.

21 hours ago.

jdsarge91 Re-watched PTA's The Master. Still my favorite film of 2012 by a long shot and one of the most beautiful films ever made.

1 days ago.

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