Master lives in the duality of the past and the present. In her directorial debut, Mariama Diallo examines race and gender as it was then and as it is now. There's a clear message in Master: much of the progress made has been in an effort to treat the symptoms, not the cause.
Set at the beginning of a new school year in the fictional Ancaster College in New England, we meet Jasmine Moore (Zoe Renee), a wide-eyed freshman moving into her dorm room. Across campus, Gail Bishop (Regina Hall) is starting her new role as the college's newest master, the first Black person in such a role for the institution. Meanwhile, a friend of Gail's and a fellow professor, Liv (Amber Gray), is looking to secure tenure. While all three women have much to look forward to, it doesn't take long before they become haunted by the trauma of the Black students and staff before them, and they develop their own coping mechanisms.
Jasmine, Gail, and Liv are at varying stages in their lives and careers, and we see how the politics of privilege are dealt with by all three. Liv's qualifications for tenure are called into question with a strong presumption that racial biases have factored in the university's decision-making. Jasmine combats horrific discrimination from her fellow classmates, who crudely carve "LEAVE" onto her door and leave a noose on the doorknob.
Gail's challenges are particularly complex. Having overcome similar situations to what Liv and Jasmine are experiencing, Gail is now a part of the system that has historically oppressed her. She believes herself to be working within it to change it for the better, but can't shake the feeling that she is being used as window dressing for the college. Even the title of the film acknowledges her struggle — in an educational context (albeit a very outdated one), a "master" is the dean of students, but in the US, a history of slave ownership is attached to the word. Has Gail become a part of the problem, or is she a sign of true progress?
These issues are framed within the horror genre, and supernatural elements are introduced with a haunted dorm room. There are flashes of the past as if they were occurring in the present, and an unexplained presence is felt in Gail's residence. With the exception of the haunted dorm room, most of these elements aren't given a satisfying conclusion or deeper look — a common occurrence throughout Master.
Diallo weaves so many narratives and themes into the film that they all just feel merely touched on. Even the three main characters aren't given rich background stories. However, the unresolved plot points and lingering ideas leave room for viewers to form their own conclusions, and in doing so, potentially confronting their own biases.
Hall, Renee and Gray lift the material of the film and give a powerful voice to the generations before them. Hall in particular shines, and it's great to see her given more opportunities in dramatic roles.
Master presents a lot of poignant arguments and issues that should be familiar to most. It's execution may leave a bit to be desired, depending on your interpretation of the loose ends. But, it's an interesting premise that Hall and company bring to life with great performances.
The 2022 Sundance Film Festivals runs online from January 20 to 30.
(Amazon Studios)Set at the beginning of a new school year in the fictional Ancaster College in New England, we meet Jasmine Moore (Zoe Renee), a wide-eyed freshman moving into her dorm room. Across campus, Gail Bishop (Regina Hall) is starting her new role as the college's newest master, the first Black person in such a role for the institution. Meanwhile, a friend of Gail's and a fellow professor, Liv (Amber Gray), is looking to secure tenure. While all three women have much to look forward to, it doesn't take long before they become haunted by the trauma of the Black students and staff before them, and they develop their own coping mechanisms.
Jasmine, Gail, and Liv are at varying stages in their lives and careers, and we see how the politics of privilege are dealt with by all three. Liv's qualifications for tenure are called into question with a strong presumption that racial biases have factored in the university's decision-making. Jasmine combats horrific discrimination from her fellow classmates, who crudely carve "LEAVE" onto her door and leave a noose on the doorknob.
Gail's challenges are particularly complex. Having overcome similar situations to what Liv and Jasmine are experiencing, Gail is now a part of the system that has historically oppressed her. She believes herself to be working within it to change it for the better, but can't shake the feeling that she is being used as window dressing for the college. Even the title of the film acknowledges her struggle — in an educational context (albeit a very outdated one), a "master" is the dean of students, but in the US, a history of slave ownership is attached to the word. Has Gail become a part of the problem, or is she a sign of true progress?
These issues are framed within the horror genre, and supernatural elements are introduced with a haunted dorm room. There are flashes of the past as if they were occurring in the present, and an unexplained presence is felt in Gail's residence. With the exception of the haunted dorm room, most of these elements aren't given a satisfying conclusion or deeper look — a common occurrence throughout Master.
Diallo weaves so many narratives and themes into the film that they all just feel merely touched on. Even the three main characters aren't given rich background stories. However, the unresolved plot points and lingering ideas leave room for viewers to form their own conclusions, and in doing so, potentially confronting their own biases.
Hall, Renee and Gray lift the material of the film and give a powerful voice to the generations before them. Hall in particular shines, and it's great to see her given more opportunities in dramatic roles.
Master presents a lot of poignant arguments and issues that should be familiar to most. It's execution may leave a bit to be desired, depending on your interpretation of the loose ends. But, it's an interesting premise that Hall and company bring to life with great performances.
The 2022 Sundance Film Festivals runs online from January 20 to 30.
