Double Winner at the Venice Film Festival: Silver Lion and Best Actor!

"The Master," which won the Silver Lion, equivalent to the director's award, at the Venice Film Festival last September, and also brought the Best Actor award to its leads, Joaquin Phoenix and Philip Seymour Hoffman, is finally being released in Japan.

Paul Thomas Anderson debuted with "Hard Eight" in 1996, and at 42, he is a rare talent who has won every director's award at the three major international film festivals: Cannes, Berlin, and Venice. After a five-year hiatus, this charismatic filmmaker has set his sights on a new religious movement in 1950s America. Having previously explored themes of family, father and son, and blood ties, he has now completed a profound and rich drama that delves into the deep psychology of human relationships.

The casting was decided by Anderson himself from the script stage. Joaquin Phoenix, in his first feature film role since returning to acting, delivers a powerful performance as the protagonist, Freddie, a returning soldier. Philip Seymour Hoffman plays the cult leader, Master, and Amy Adams joins the ensemble as his wife, Peggy.

Freddie, a Returning Soldier Whose Life Was Transformed by Meeting a Charismatic Leader

Near the end of World War II. Freddie Quell, a returning soldier from overseas service in the Navy, tries to reintegrate into civilian life as a department store photographer, but his struggle with alcohol addiction, contracted during the war, leads him to cause trouble at work.



Unable to adapt to daily life and wandering aimlessly, he encounters a spiritual organization called "The Cause" while stowing away on a ship. He is welcomed by the ship's owner and the group's leader, "The Master," Lancaster Dodd. The Master was a leader who liberated troubled souls with his unique methods, gaining a cult-like following.

From there, Freddie's life takes a 180-degree turn. He gradually gains status as the Master's right-hand man, but behind the scenes, the Master's wife lurks. The delicate balance of power among the three begins to shift.

As Anderson himself stated, "Everyone needs a leader (the Master). But the Master, played by Philip, also needed a leader. That was Freddie (Joaquin)." What overflows from the screen is the precariousness and tension when Joaquin and Philip confront each other. This ultimate human drama, depicting souls that are drawn to each other by an irresistible force, and thus repel each other, is a must-see.





"The Master"
Opens Friday, March 22, at TOHO Cinemas Chanter, Shinjuku Wald 9, and other theaters.
Directed and Written by: Paul Thomas Anderson
Starring: Joaquin Phoenix, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Amy Adams
Distribution: Phantom Film
2012 / USA / 138 min / R-15
http://themastermovie.jp/

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