My feelings about this movie are well documented here.
This isn’t a review of the film so much as a review of my experience last night: Seeing an all-time favorite on the big screen for the first time, on a beautiful and well-loved 35mm print, with humming sound, at the best theater in my city, with a sold out crowd who were 100% on the movie’s wavelength the entire time. Spiritual.
Anderson’s most mesmerizing film. THE MASTER rattles around in my brain. It’s bottomless but not inscrutable. It keeps us at arms length while pulling us closer.
A portrait of America as a drunk, sick puppy looking for a master. Come onboard, join us for dinner, we can help you, “your memories aren’t invited.” Give us your sick, your poor, etc. We’ll make you better, stronger, you’ll make something of yourself with us. Trust us.
What happens when the master turns…
“I have seen it all,” he whispered. “I have seen Joaquin Phoenix’s Joker cheer while LeBron James’ son holds millions of innocent people hostage. I have watched Don Cheadle turn into a slightly taller, stronger Don Cheadle as the guys from A Clockwork Orange applaud. I have seen the most talented basketball player of all time beg everyone to call him a ‘good dad’ during a 2+ hour Warner Bros. commercial made inside of a computer. I have seen it all, and it is just so sad.”
For some reason I always thought I knew what this movie was without ever having actually seen it. Turns out it’s consistently very good and often excellent, and goes to places I was really surprised by.
I think the first half is slightly stronger than the second, if only because so much of the film’s most interesting ideas are still borderline subtext, while the closing hour leaves little to the imagination. But it’s always sharp; so gorgeous and scathing with…
