I read that The Master is a combination of a few different things that Paul Thomas Anderson molded together (aside from being inspired by L Ron Hubbard and Scientology, it also has parts from an early draft of There Will Be Blood, old navy war stories from Jason Robards, and elements of John Steinbeck’s life). And that’s not surprising. The film feels like a bunch of different things (to both its benefit and detriment). But I can’t help but be mesmerized by Anderson’s films. He just strikes a chord with me. The Master is a sloppy masterpiece, but a masterpiece nonetheless.

4.5 out of 5 stars