Commonly remembered as Paul Thomas Anderson’s epic, Magnolia is 3 hour saga follows the seemingly isolated lives of various characters and their eventual biblical crossover. Building on the legacy of Boogie Nights by incorporating more stars and more stories than its predecessor.
Set in LA, we follow the day of a policeman who finds a body in a closet, a terminally ill gameshow producer and a child progeny who is set to compete on the gameshow while suffering from abusive parents behind the scenes.
The cast features Anderson regulars such as Philip Seymour Hoffman, Julianne Moore and John C. Reily but also brings a wider cast led by Tom Cruise who brings an energetic and charismatic performance as motivational speaker, Frank T.J Mackey and Jason Robards as the ailing gameshow producer, Earl Partridge.
Magnolia tends to split critics and the audience due to its melodramatic feel and long running time but these aspects are justified and adds to its uniqueness. It’s seemingly ingrained in its own reality but this is turned on its head with the iconic scene in which frogs suddenly fall from the sky.
The film takes its audience through the full spectrum of emotions. Anderson wants us to feel uncomfortable and confused at times. It is centred around human nature and the emotions within that.
