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Annapurna Pictures
The Weinstein Company
Not part of a collection.
Freddie, a volatile, heavy-drinking veteran who suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder, finds some semblance of a family when he stumbles onto the ship of Lancaster Dodd, the charismatic leader of a new "religion" he forms after World War II.
Filipe Manuel Neto
May 27, 2023 · via TMDB
**It's a film for a fairly narrow audience and is very slow paced... too slow.** Honestly, I expected more from this movie. A certain strong dramatic spark that really justified the time spent watching it. Unfortunately, it seems the only motivation for seeing the film is its criticism of the Church of Scientology, a criticism that, if you read a little about the church and pay attention, is not even implied. Paul Thomas Anderson is a respected director, especially after the films “Magnolia” and “There Will Be Blood”. I'm not going to discuss that, not least because he's not a director I'm comfortable with (I think, counting this one, I've only seen two of his films). What matters is this film, and here, the director did a good job. It probably not the best of his career, there are very debatable options especially in terms of editing and rhythm, but it's enough. The cast's work is even better. Joaquin Phoenix gives us an impeccable, intense and very dramatic work, even if it is totally surpassed by the charisma of Philip Seymour Hoffman, a totally accurate choice for the character, who required not only charisma but also leadership, affirmation and authority. The actor, who left us suddenly and quite prematurely, was rightly nominated for an Oscar here. Laura Dern and Amy Adams ensure the main presences in the feminine, and they do it safely, even if in a more discreet way. On a technical level, the film has some very good points and others not so well developed: if on the one hand we have an excellent collection of sets and costumes, a good recreation of historical periods and places, an excellent cinematography and an enviable filming work, we also have a badly done edition, incapable of giving the film greater drama and some rhythm. I don't know if that was on purpose or not, what I do know is that the movie is disgustingly slow, dull and boring, with tons of lamely written dialogue and a lot of wasted time in between. I was left with the feeling that it would have been perfectly possible, in editing, to cut about half an hour of film without rigorously altering the meaning or running the risk of ruining the story. And talking about editing invariably leads us to talking about the script. I am not and have never been a member of the Church of Scientology, so I feel free to see a film that openly criticizes it, and also a film that criticizes it more covertly, as is the case. What the film makes clear is the weight of a great leader's charisma for the growth of a cult, but that was something that seemed clear enough to me. There are also some passages in which the film suggests that Scientology (like the “Cause”) is a great hoax, but this is also apparently consensual among the common public, and is based to some extent on testimonies from former members of the church. Regardless, it is not a film that is capable of attracting the masses to cinema, it is a topic for a niche of people already interested in it and not for the general public. And that doomed the film to a tremendous financial failure, considering the capital the production spent on it.
Pugwash
Mar 16, 2013 · via TMDB
Modern self-indulgent rubbish. Too long. I gained nothing from watching this. It's nicely photographed, but that is a given in the 21st century. The acting is fine, but this is a review of the movie as a whole. Don't waste your time.
User reviews courtesy of TMDB.
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Joaquin Phoenix
Freddie Quell
Philip Seymour Hoffman
Lancaster Dodd
Amy Adams
Peggy Dodd
Rami Malek
Clark
Laura Dern
Helen Sullivan
Jesse Plemons
Val Dodd
Ambyr Childers
Elizabeth Dodd
Madisen Beaty
Doris Solstad
Kevin J. O'Connor
Bill White
Patty McCormack
Mildred Drummond
Lena Endre
Mrs. Solstad
Barbara Brownell
Margaret O'Brien
Amy Ferguson
Martha the Salesgirl
Jennifer Neala Page
Winn Manchester
Christopher Evan Welch
John More
Mike Howard
Rorschach Doctor
Mimi Cozzens
Chi Chi Crawford
Jillian Bell
Susan Gregory
Joshua Close
Wayne Gregory
Martin Dew
Norman Conrad
Kevin J. Walsh
Cliff Boyd
Brady Rubin
Michelle Mortimer
Jill Andre
Beatrice Campbell
Barlow Jacobs
James Sullivan
David Warshofsky
Philadelphia Police
Katie Boland
Young Woman
Price Carson
V.A. Doctor
Andrew Koponen
V.A. Patient
Jeffrey W. Jenkins
V.A. Patient
W. Earl Brown
Fighting Businessman
Ariel Felix
Filipino Worker
Vladimir Velasco
Filipino Worker
Brian Fong
Filipino Worker
Brigitte Hagerman
New York Party Girl
Charley Morgan
New York Lawyer
Liz Clare
Dancer
Fiona Dourif
Dancer
Audrey Finer
Dancer
Megan Rose Fox
Dancer
Baily Hopkins
Dancer
Mari Kearney
Dancer
Ally Johnson
Dancer
Brittany Kilcoyne McGregor
Dancer
Kimberly Ables Jindra
Processing Patient
Melora Walters
Band (Voice)
Napoleon Ryan
Pub Customer
AnnaCorey
Madam Grace Love Interest (uncredited)
Bill Blair
Man at the Bar (uncredited)
Quint Gabriel
U.K Student
Shannon Freyer
Ellen (uncredited)
Kerry Goodwin
Phoenix Follower (uncredited)
Dale Richard Howard
Court Observer (uncredited)
Ruth De Jong
Assistant Art Director
Jack Fisk
Production Design
Florencia Martin
Set Decoration Buyer
Barry Idoine
Director of Photography
Mihai Malaimare Jr.
Director of Photography
Mark Bridges
Costume Design
Garrett Warren
Stunt Coordinator
Joe Bucaro III
Stunt Double
Brian Scannell
Stunts
Dan Brown
Stunts
Jesse V. Johnson
Stunts
Mark Aaron Wagner
Stunts
Mark Ginther
Stunts
Paul E. Short
Stunts
Rex Reddick
Stunts
Tim Meredith
Stunts
Tsuyoshi Abe
Stunts
Zach Hudson
Stunts
Paul Thomas Anderson
Director
Adam Somner
First Assistant Director
Michael Bauman
Chief Lighting Technician
Holly Dorff
ADR Voice Casting
Cassandra Kulukundis
Casting
Adam Somner
Executive Producer
Daniel Lupi
Producer
JoAnne Sellar
Producer
Megan Ellison
Producer
Paul Thomas Anderson
Producer
Daniel Lupi
Unit Production Manager
Kim Foscato
Dialogue Editor
Steve Slanec
Dialogue Editor
Jonny Greenwood
Original Music Composer
Chris Scarabosio
Sound Designer
David Acord
Sound Effects Editor
Mark Ulano
Sound mixer
Chris Scarabosio
Sound Re-Recording Mixer
Michael Semanick
Sound Re-Recording Mixer
Chris Scarabosio
Supervising Sound Editor
Matthew Wood
Supervising Sound Editor
Dan Glass
Senior Visual Effects Supervisor
Paul Thomas Anderson
Writer
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Leo Kottke: Home + Away
1989
Match in a Haystack
2025
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Battle your watched movies head-to-head
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Evil Dead II
1987 · 14 wins
The Dark Knight
2008 · 14 wins
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1978 · 13 wins
Final Destination
2000 · 12 wins
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1981 · 11 wins
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