2012 Paul Thomas Anderson movie
Rating: 18/20
Plot: A Navy veteran doesn't know what to do with himself. He's tried poisoning people, copulating with sand women, and ejaculating into the ocean. He's part of the Greatest Generation! One night, he finds himself aboard the boat of the titular cult-leader/new-age philosopher/self-help author and is pulled into The Cause.
OK, this wasn't one of the fifteen movies nominated for Best Picture? I can't compare what Joaquin Phoenix did here to what Daniel Day-Lewis did as Lincoln because I haven't seen Lincoln. I find it hard to believe that his Lincoln is better than Phoenix's Freddie Quell though. I really do. Forgive the hyperbolizing, but Phoenix's performance is the best and most powerful performance that I have seen in a very long time, one of those that, even if you completely forgot the movie, you'd not forget. The mannerisms, the posture, this emotion that you know he had to dig deep for as this sex-obsessed impotent guy. There's this balance of raw power and wounded weakness that is mesmerizing, and it's a treat watching Phoenix juggle the different dimensions of the character. It's amazing, the kind of character that just grabs you until you think your face is about to be bitten off. Philip Seymour Hoffman's no slouch either, and although it would be hard for me to go Hoffman over Waltz in Django, I do think the argument could be made. The tension these two create with their characters, their jagged rapport, the way they scream and spit all over each other. They're a pair of performances to behold, dear friends. There's a lengthy interview session that should be the most boring thing ever committed to film, but watching these two actors wrestle with it is nothing short of thrilling, a scene that made my heart pound as much as any action scene in the last decade. You'd never think that much suspense could be built up over whether or not a character is going to blink. Amy Adams is mighty fine here, too, even better than she was in that Muppet movie. Her character's an enigma. She's background until you notice, and then you realize that's she's the vertebrae of this thing and appreciate the way that character's created. For the second Anderson movie in a row, Radiohead-guy Jonny Greenwood handles the score. I like the chances he takes with that. I had trepidation going into this movie, but hot damn, how I loved it! It's the kind that will just stick with you, like movies from the 1970s only a lot better looking. This is the best 2012 movie that I have seen in what I'm starting to think was a really good year for movies.
I think the main reason I don't like "Mad Men" very much is because the characters are all unlikeable and nothing much happens. I felt the same way about this. It got some great reviews, and I was really looking forward to seeing it, but even though a few of the performances were very good, I didn't care about the anyone. It also seemed to go on a good 30 minutes too long. A 12.
ReplyDeleteWow! I don't think you've been this wrong about a movie since Eraserhead.
ReplyDeleteI'm kidding. But you are totally wrong.
There's a lot to say about this movie. You mainly touched on the acting, so I'll throw in my two cents on that topic:
ReplyDeleteHoffman is a "master" per usual. He uses his lines well; he doesn't need to project too much. His acting strength is control. He can play subdued brilliantly and he can go from 0-60 in seconds without any hiccups. The few times his character seems to be out of losing it, his acting is rooted and firmly behind the wheel. He found a great voice for his character. It was articulate and enunciated. It had the same cadence as his Capote character only without the softness. Amy Adams, like you said, seems like she's just "background." But that's what makes her such a great actress. She plays her part. She acts like a regular person more than most out there. For a film like this, you need "regular" people. I can't figure Phoenix out. I don't mean his acting, I'll get to that in a second. I mean his real-life personality. If he's crazy, then he's not really stretching here. But, if he's down to Earth, then that makes this performance more than outstanding. I picked up on the posture (which seemed irrelevant, yet interesting), the talking out of the side of his mouth, the warbled speech. But, it's almost too familiar. It's remnants of his Johnny Cash movie.
Now to the movie itself. I love the direction. The period approach was brilliant. Great representation of the time. The societal norms, the vocabulary, and even the sense of humor was spot-on. The orchestrations were obvious, but in a good way. The sounds paralleled with the visuals precisely. When the characters are frantic, we hear chaotic woodwinds. When the camera is panning and the audience is being given glimpses of The Master's world, we hear creepy strings.
I'm surprised you didn't talk about the story much. It had a lot going on for sure. The main theme has something to do with human nature and self control. But themes of sanity, reality, and religion all come up as well. Was this a representation of religion in general or Scientology specifically? Why was the hooch that Freddie was slinging so important? Is it a metaphor for something larger? Hoffman's character calls it a "potion."
I like the ambiguity of the tittle. One reference to The Master is, of course, to Hoffman's character, but I think some of the dialogue at the end gives us clues to what the true master is: human nature. Hoffman's character wants Freddie to have self-control. Hoffman, himself, exhibits great self-control most of the time. It's in those few outbursts where Hoffman's character breaks (I counted 4), that we see the man behind the curtain. Hoffman preaches for them to not "be like animals." But, Freddie can't change who he is. Unlike the rest, he's too ignorant to fool himself. Is the self-control the villain, or the lack of self-control? Freddie is certainly not a likable character (he was crazy before he ever joined up with The Cause), but he's not pretending; he's being the only person he wants to be. Is this movie preaching "stay true to yourself no matter what you are"? Are Hoffman's benevolent gestures toward Freddie contrary to what Anderson wanted the audience to take away from his movie? It's all very provocative.
You bring up some interesting ideas, Josh. I've been meaning to watch this movie again, and you've given me some things to keep in mind when I do, especially about self-control. Honestly, I don't think I fully *understood* what this actually says which is probably why I avoided writing about that. Knowing where it goes and how it gets there will help when I give it another go. Self control though...one of the scenes that stands out (because this is the type of person I am) is the one where he's masturbating on the beach. How's that for self control?
ReplyDeleteI'm still shocked this didn't get more attention. Best movie I saw from that year.