The Master
2012 · 137 min · Director: Paul Thomas Anderson
Show plot summary (may contain spoilers)
Following his discharge from the US Navy after WWII, Freddie Quell is having difficulties adjusting to non-military life partly due to his war experiences in the tropics. He has a violent temper. He is obsessed with sex, which is partly why he can't and won't commit to his teenaged girlfriend, Doris Solstad. And he is an alcoholic, drinking primarily concoctions he creates himself with dangerous ingredients. It is these factors in combination that lead to him being fired from one job after another, from department store portrait photographer to cabbage picker. Wandering one night in 1950 while drunk, he stumbles upon a yacht being used by Lancaster and Peggy Dodd, the yacht aboard which their daughter Elizabeth will get married. Feeling a connection to the stranger, Lancaster invites Freddie to stay aboard to work. In addition to that work, Lancaster indoctrinates him into his cult, named the Cause, which purports to do things as varied as cure serious maladies and create world peace. Peggy, Elizabeth and Elizabeth's husband Clark all subscribe to and support Lancaster's teachings. The only one of the Dodd family that doesn't is Lancaster and Peggy's son, Val Dodd, who believes his father is just making things up as he goes along. Because of being lost psychologically, Freddie is easy prey, he who is looking for something or someone to guide him to a higher plane. But as Freddie travels with the Dodd family as they spout the gospel, he and the Dodds may become at odds with each other if Freddie cannot or does not find from them and the Cause what he needs in life to survive emotionally.
Emotional fingerprint
The Master (2012) — Movie. Top emotional signals: Confusion 30%, Anxiety 25%, Empathy 20%. Source: AI estimate. Shares describe emotional signal, not percentages of people. Your experience may differ. How we measure
- Confusion30%
- Anxiety25%
- Empathy20%
- Melancholy15%
- Curiosity10%
AI estimate · no viewer votes yet
How we measure
AI estimate
Share of emotional signal, not the percentage of people or a probability of enjoyment.
Each viewer contributes one response, split equally across their selected emotions. When available, an automated estimate supplies a prior that is blended with those responses. Counts include distinct viewers, not automated estimates or archived anonymous votes. Fewer than 3 viewers is an early estimate; more responses do not guarantee certainty.
Why it feels this way
The strongest emotional signals are Confusion, Anxiety, Empathy. Genres: Drama, History. AI estimate.
Is it worth watching?
Consider this title if you are looking for Confusion, Anxiety and Empathy. Its IMDb rating of 7.1/10 suggests a generally positive audience reception. For these leading emotions, its Feel Score is 72/100.
How did it make you feel?
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Pick up to three · 0/3
Emotional journey
- Tension
- Curiosity
- Sadness
Not enough subtitle evidence
No dominant emotion
Dominant emotion: Humor
Dominant emotion: Curiosity
Dominant emotion: Tension
Dominant emotion: Empathy
Dominant emotion: Sadness
Dominant emotion
| % | Approximate minute | Dominant emotion | Overall intensity | Tension | Curiosity | Sadness |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2.5 % | ≈ 3′ | Humor | 43 % | 17 % | 28 % | 13 % |
| 7.5 % | ≈ 10′ | Curiosity | 46 % | 32 % | 31 % | 17 % |
| 12.5 % | ≈ 17′ | Tension | 51 % | 41 % | 36 % | 15 % |
| 17.5 % | ≈ 24′ | Curiosity | 50 % | 28 % | 44 % | 10 % |
| 22.5 % | ≈ 31′ | Curiosity | 48 % | 20 % | 49 % | 8 % |
| 27.5 % | ≈ 38′ | Curiosity | 53 % | 32 % | 49 % | 15 % |
| 32.5 % | ≈ 45′ | Tension | 55 % | 42 % | 45 % | 25 % |
| 37.5 % | ≈ 51′ | Empathy | 53 % | 41 % | 41 % | 22 % |
| 42.5 % | ≈ 58′ | Tension | 54 % | 48 % | 41 % | 13 % |
| 47.5 % | ≈ 65′ | Tension | 56 % | 53 % | 40 % | 11 % |
| 52.5 % | ≈ 72′ | Tension | 60 % | 57 % | 36 % | 15 % |
| 57.5 % | ≈ 79′ | Tension | 65 % | 60 % | 36 % | 21 % |
| 62.5 % | ≈ 86′ | Curiosity | 59 % | 53 % | 39 % | 23 % |
| 67.5 % | ≈ 92′ | Tension | 54 % | 44 % | 39 % | 18 % |
| 72.5 % | ≈ 99′ | Curiosity | 46 % | 32 % | 36 % | 8 % |
| 77.5 % | ≈ 106′ | Curiosity | 48 % | 28 % | 32 % | 17 % |
| 82.5 % | ≈ 113′ | Sadness | 55 % | 31 % | 33 % | 37 % |
| 87.5 % | ≈ 120′ | Curiosity | 56 % | 39 % | 37 % | 42 % |
| 92.5 % | ≈ 127′ | Sadness | 59 % | 50 % | 36 % | 46 % |
| 97.5 % | ≈ 134′ | Not enough subtitle evidence | Not enough subtitle evidence | Not enough subtitle evidence | Not enough subtitle evidence | Not enough subtitle evidence |
Riches to rags
Rags to riches: The emotional tone rises from negative to positive.
Riches to rags: The emotional tone falls from positive to negative.
Man in a hole: The tone falls, then recovers.
Icarus: The tone rises, then falls.
Cinderella: The tone rises, falls, then rises again.
Oedipus: The tone falls, rises, then falls again.
AI reading of the film’s English subtitles (dialogue and sound cues) — not viewer votes. How we measure ↗
Kadri — your film companion
AIAsk anything about The Master. From the film’s own dialogue and FeelDB data, at your spoiler level.
Afterward Reveal viewer responses · may contain spoilers
Viewer responses about feelings after the title ended, separate from feelings while watching. No AI estimates.
0 responses so far
Feeling details appear after at least 3 viewers respond, to protect privacy.
Cast
Margaret O'Brien
Martha the Salesgirl
Winn Manchester
Rorschach Doctor
Frank
Chi Chi Crawford
Details
- Directed by
- Paul Thomas Anderson
- Written by
- Paul Thomas Anderson
- Type
- Movies
- Released
- 2012
- Runtime
- 137 min
- Country
- United States
- Ratings
- Feels mostly
- Confusion
- Data updated
Where to watch
Subscription
Free
Rent
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