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Magnolia (1999)
Things fall down.
People look up. And when it rains, it pours.
Director: Paul
Thomas Anderson, rated
R for strong
language, drug use, some violence
  Starring:
Ton Cruise, Jason Robards, Julianne Moore, Philip Seymour
Hoffman, Emmanuel Johnson, Melora Walters, Philip Baker, Melinda Dillon, John C.
Reilly, William H. Macy, Jeremy Blackman, Luis Guzman, Alfred Molina, Henry
Gibson
DML Rating:
★★★★★★★★☆☆
- great
"I come in here, I
give these things to you, you check, you make your phone calls,
look suspicious, ask questions. I'm sick. I have sickness all
around me and you f***ing ask me about my life? "What's wrong?"
Have you seen death in your bed? In your house?" - Linda
Partridge, to the pharmacist
Why watch this?
Long. Complex. Often abrasive. Brilliant. Worth a look, for
sure.
Plot Summary:
This intense drama weaves together an intricate mosaic of
seemingly unrelated individuals searching for love, forgiveness,
and meaning over the course of one intense day in California's
San Fernando Valley. The interconnected narratives follow a
dying television producer, his estranged adult son, a
guilt-ridden policeman, and a former child prodigy, among
others, who are all burdened by the weight of past traumas and
strained family ties.
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Dad's Preview:
Like me at age twenty-five, the casual film viewer will
appreciate Magnolia's strong performances,
however its deep, nuanced themes, the film's lengthy
run-time, and the odd third act, will whoosh!
over their heads. There are several seemingly unrelated
stories all cascading towards several mini-climaxes, and
a real "huh?" ending. Of course, it's all intentional,
as orchestrated by director Paul Thomas Anderson. The
film points a deliberate finger at bad fathers, men who
have walked away from their responsibilities, cheated on
their wives, abandoned their sons and daughters. We see
the human wrecks created in that aftermath. Then... In a
completely non-traditional cinematic way, we are slapped
in the face with the thought that happiness can
literally "drop right out of the sky" in the most
unexpected, even illogical, manner. This is a truthful
gaze into life's many problems - just hold on until it
gets better. |
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Ghoulardi Film
Co., JoAnne Sellar Prod.;
New Line Cinema
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