This is the trailer for Paul Thomas Anderson’s newest film The Master. From what I can tell the film is loosely based on Scientology. It stars Philip Seymour Hoffman as a writer/physicist/philosopher who creates his own religion and behaves almost exactly like a snake oil salesman turned televangelist.
Also in the movie is Joaquin Phoenix as a womanizing, war-battered vet-turned-drifter. He gets caught up with the Master’s religion and you can see Hoffman use all the tactics you would expect from a con man preying on the lost and lonely.
I think the movie looks pretty amazing. However, I’m sure it’s going to cause a bit of a controversy. I’m no Scientologist, but I’m sure if one were a member of the religion it might be a bit too close to home. What do you think?