10. The Master (2012) - Freddie Quell Meets Lancaster Dodd
The Master contains electric, career-high performances from each of the primary cast members, and Hoffman's role as Lancaster Dodd is no exception. The titular Master is head of a movement called the Cause, a blend of religion, science, and theoretical philosophy that thrives under the guidance of their leader. Joaquin Phoenix's Freddie Quell becomes swept up in the Cause and is taken under Dodd's wing, and the scenes between Hoffman and Phoenix are absolutely amazing. Both are very different, very well-drawn characters, but the magic of The Master is in how well these two work together. Hoffman's deep, measured tones serve to calm Freddie and calm us viewers at the same time, and his performance remains the steadfast core of a rollicking and tumultuous film.
