The Master

WWII veteran Freddie Quell (Joaquin Phoenix) wanders through an America he no longer recognises, tormented by deep trauma and uncontrollable impulses. When he meets Lancaster Dodd (Philip Seymour Hoffman), the charismatic leader of the philosophical movement The Cause, he finds in him the promise of order and meaning, becoming a dedicated adherent. But as his devotion deepens, tensions and conflicts put Dodd’s authority and Freddie’s own identity to the test, plunging him into a complex spiral of obsession. A film about power, dependency and redemption, The Master was nominated for three Oscars.