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The Master poster

Movies that feel likeThe Master (2012)

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.

If you loved The Master, the closest films we have are Nymphomaniac: Vol. I (2013), Phantom Thread (2017) and Eyes Wide Shut (1999). All three share The Master's contemplative and obsessive feel, which is what we rank on before quality.

Seen the big three already? The under-the-radar pick below is Tony Takitani (2004).

πŸ… 85% Rotten Tomatoesβ˜… 7.1 IMDb β†—TMDB β†—dir. Paul Thomas Andersoncontemplativeobsessivedread
7 of 12 streaming nowNetflix Β· HBO Max Β· Hulu

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If The Master hit the spot, these will too

Looking for the series itself? Also in this series: The Master and Margarita (2024)

Nymphomaniac: Vol. I poster
Nymphomaniac: Vol. I
2013 Β· dir. Lars von Trier
πŸ… 77%β˜… 6.9drama

One thread runs through both: sexual obsession

The difference: Trades the dread of The Master for an angle of its own

A man named Seligman finds a fainted wounded woman in an alley and he brings her home. She tells him that her name is Joe and that she is nymphomaniac. Joe tells her life and sexual experiences with hundreds of men since she was a young teenager while Seligman tells about his hobbies, such as fly fishing, reading about Fibonacci numbers or listening to organ music.

Phantom Thread poster
Phantom Thread
2017 Β· dir. Paul Thomas Anderson
πŸ… 91%β˜… 7.4drama Β· romanceNetflix

The same hand behind both of them: Paul Thomas Anderson

The difference: Easier on the dread than The Master

In 1950s London, a renowned dressmaker's meticulous lifestyle begins drastically changing as his relationship with his young muse intensifies.

Eyes Wide Shut poster
Eyes Wide Shut
1999 Β· dir. Stanley Kubrick
πŸ… 77%β˜… 7.5drama Β· thriller Β· mysteryMax

The same preoccupation in both: sexual obsession

The difference: Leans harder into thriller than The Master does

After Dr. Bill Harford's wife, Alice, admits to having sexual fantasies about a man she met, Bill becomes obsessed with having a sexual encounter. He discovers an underground sexual group and attends one of their meetings -- and quickly discovers that he is in over his head.

Crumb poster
Crumb
1995 Β· dir. Terry Zwigoff
πŸ… 95%β˜… 8documentary

The same mix in both: stillness, then obsession

This movie chronicles the life and times of R. Crumb. Robert Crumb is the cartoonist/artist who drew Keep On Truckin', Fritz the Cat, and played a major pioneering role in the genesis of underground comix. Through interviews with his mother, two brothers, wife, ex-wife and ex-girlfriends, as well as selections from his vast quantity of graphic art, we are treated to a darkly comic ride through one man's subconscious mind.

Thelma poster
Thelma
2017 Β· dir. Joachim Trier
πŸ… 92%β˜… 6.9drama Β· mystery Β· thriller

Drama with a pulse of stillness, in both cases

A college student starts to experience extreme seizures. She soon learns that the violent episodes are a symptom of inexplicable abilities.

Tony Takitani poster
Tony Takitani
2004 Β· dir. Jun Ichikawa
πŸ… 88%β˜… 7.2drama

Obsessive drama, and it commits to that

A reclusive illustrator falls in love with a young woman who addictively shops for clothing.

The Blue Angel poster
The Blue Angel
1930 Β· dir. Josef von Sternberg
πŸ… 96%β˜… 7.6drama

Both lean on stillness more than on drama

The difference: Made in the 1930s, in a different era of the craft

Prim professor Immanuel Rath finds some of his students ogling racy photos of cabaret performer Lola Lola and visits a local club, The Blue Angel, in an attempt to catch them there. Seeing Lola perform, the teacher is filled with lust, eventually resigning his position at the school to marry the young woman. However, his marriage to a coquette -- whose job is to entice men -- proves to be more difficult than Rath imagined.

Cruel Intentions poster
Cruel Intentions
1999 Β· dir. Roger Kumble
πŸ… 55%β˜… 6.8drama Β· romanceNetflixHulu

Both work the same obsession

The difference: The critics' underdog of the pair

Slaking a thirst for dangerous games, Kathryn challenges her stepbrother, Sebastian, to deflower their headmaster's daughter before the summer ends. If he succeeds, the prize is the chance to bed Kathryn. But if he loses, Kathryn will claim his most prized possession.

Perfume: The Story of a Murderer poster
Perfume: The Story of a Murderer
2006 Β· dir. Tom Tykwer
πŸ… 59%β˜… 7.5crime Β· fantasy Β· drama

Drama approached the same way

Jean-Baptiste Grenouille, born in the stench of 18th century Paris, develops a superior olfactory sense, which he uses to create the world's finest perfumes. However, his work takes a dark turn as he tries to preserve scents in the search for the ultimate perfume.

Padmaavat poster
Padmaavat
2018 Β· dir. Sanjay Leela Bhansali
πŸ… 55%β˜… 7.1drama Β· history Β· romanceNetflix

Drama of the same temperament

Rajputana, India, 13th century. The tyrannical usurper Alauddin Khilji, sultan of Delhi, becomes obsessed with Queen Padmavati, wife of King Ratan Singh of Mewar, and goes to great lengths to satisfy his greed for her.

Lust, Caution poster
Lust, Caution
2007 Β· dir. Ang Lee
πŸ… 73%β˜… 7.5action Β· drama Β· romance

Cut from the same drama cloth

During World War II, a secret agent must seduce, then assassinate an official who works for the Japanese puppet government in Shanghai. Her mission becomes clouded when she finds herself falling in love with the man she is assigned to kill.

Two Sons of Francisco poster
Two Sons of Francisco
2005 Β· dir. Breno Silveira
πŸ… 80%β˜… 6.9drama Β· history Β· music

Both know what they want from drama

The story of Francisco, a very simple and poor man whose dream was to see his children become country music stars, and who made all the efforts to make it happen.

In the mood for more contemplative?

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The best-reviewed films that share The Master’s defining feeling.