The Master - B+

Rated R, 138 minutes

Magnetic and superbly acted is "The Master"

Joaquin Phoenix and Philip Seymour Hoffman

I've always had an admiration for the devotion that film director Paul Thomas Anderson has for his work, and it's evident in his films such as "There Will Be Blood" and "Magnolia." I have an appreciation for his films too, even if I don't fall in love with them as many of my colleagues do, and I feel the same way about "The Master," a layered, well-acted film that stands as one of Anderson's most captivating films and one of the year's more magnetic films after a lackluster movie-going summer. Set in the 1950's, "The Master" is about a charming intellectual (Philip Seymour Hoffman) whose cultish faith-based, new age movement starts to catch on in America, and his relationship with a rough, alcoholic drifter named Freddie (Joaquin Phoenix) who eventually becomes his right-hand man. Beguiling, overlong and filled with Anderson's trademark, odd touches, "The Master" is one of the year's more memorable films. Like other Anderson films, there is a cold, bizarre distance that he creates that doesn't appeal to everyone, but it's engaging enough you won't be able to look away. It's a character study of two different individuals, of the shepherd and one of straying sheep. Phoenix, in one of his best roles, and Hoffman, are both superb and should garner Oscar nominations for their performances, particularly Phoenix, who chews up every scene he's in. Amy Adams is also strong as Hoffman's young, equally bizarre wife who's committed to their "cause." Hoffman's character is supposedly and loosely based on Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard, and while Anderson may deny this it's strikingly evident in the things said and done throughout the film that it is. Anderson also is a technical prowess in film making, and he adeptly uses heavy string music, cinematography and lighting to create a memorable scene, and the costumes, sets and automobiles all evoke a believable 1950s feel. Though I still have a cautious admiration for Anderson and his films, I will say that the enticing "The Master" is probably Anderson's most accessible work to date. Expect to see this film a lot during awards season later this year.

Wes's Grade: B+