The Master is a 2012 American
drama film written, directed, and co-produced by
Paul Thomas Anderson and starring
Joaquin Phoenix,
Philip Seymour Hoffman, and
Amy Adams. It tells the story of Freddie Quell (Phoenix), a World War II veteran struggling to adjust to a post-war society, who meets Lancaster Dodd (Hoffman), a leader of a religious movement known as "The Cause". Dodd sees something in Quell and accepts him into the movement. Freddie takes a liking to "The Cause" and begins traveling with Dodd along the East Coast to spread the teachings.