I wasn't sure what to expect from this movie, I didn't want to have too high expectations but the cast it had pretty much grew that pressure on my shoulders. Well, I wasn't disappointed at all and got even more than I expected. "Magnolia" is a fine piece of quality drama. The movie introduces us different characters which all are in search of love and happiness in their own specific ways. They all have their stories, deep and touching, which the viewer follows throughout the movie. A dying father, a young wife disappointed in her life, a passionate nurse, a male game-show host, a child genius long for his father's love, a daughter using drugs and a famous ladies' man - There's more, but I leave the rest of the analyzing to you.
"Magnolia" isn't a typical stories-bound-together -film. Despite the fact of it following the same theme as movies like these usually do it still manages to be original. The storytelling is absolutely brilliant, the whole building up of the characters follows the story in a fantastic flow and although the movie lasts for three hours it doesn't feel that long at all. The structure captures the attention of the viewer by first being depressive and sort of intense, but then it raises from a significant melancholy to a joyful experience and celebration, everything changes in a way that makes this film so unique and that is also surprisingly easy for your eyes and ears. The movie also includes one of the most surprising and twisted endings I've ever seen in a motion picture, you just can't see it coming unless you know it before-hand. The movie has this theme of unusual things happening throughout the human history and a message that these unusual, unimaginable, things are in fact occurring at this very moment and it happens all the time. Whether you believe it or not, it still happens and you can't change that. The film follows this theme along the progressions of the characters and their stories, and it is adapted to these stories in a terrific way.
What also makes this movie so damn good is the role performances, or should I say the actors/actresses doing them. Almost every performance is excellent and it is a real pleasure for your eyes to see such marvellous actors/actresses working together. Tom Cruise, who is in fact one of my favourite actors of all time, makes a stunning performance as Frank T.J. Mackey, the famous ladies' man. Cruise was even nominated for an Academy Award from the role. It's a real shame that Cruise doesn't do drama so much, as he is to me an ideal actor in a depressing and emotional drama. One of the reasons why I even bought this film on DVD was that it was a drama with Cruise in it, and the reviews weren't bad either. Then there's the always brilliant William H. Macy as the old child genius Donnie Smith, who now a loser and a failure in his own life, regretting his past. Macy is once again perfect in his role and he's one of those actors who can pretty much depress the whole audience by just pulling off a melancholy face, it's just that intense.
John C. Reilly as Jim Kurring, a cop seeking for love, also shows us that he can do impressive drama as well. Philip Baker Hall as the famous game-show host Jimmy Gator, Philip Seymour Hoffman as the emotional nurse Phil Parma, Jason Robards as the dying father Earl Partridge who now regrets the mistakes he has made in his life. Julianne Moore as Linda Partridge wasn't the best Moore I've seen. I think she wasn't so fit for the role itself and her performance was kind of a disappointment, though it isn't bad at all. I was just expecting more from her. Then there's the not so known actress Melora Walters as Claudia Wilson Gator, the daughter on drugs whose father seeks for her love. Walters also does an astonishing performance and when she is working together with Reilly the chemistry is overwhelming. Jeremy Blackman as Stanley Spector, the child genius long for his father's love, does one of the best performances I've seen from a child actor. The list just goes on and on and if you're seeking for a movie filled with excellent role performances then this is most certainly the movie you want to see.
Paul Thomas Anderson as the director does an amazing job behind the camera. We haven't heard much about him, but hopefully will be hearing much more about him in the future. His directing reflects the whole theme of the film so well and the music the movie has grows up situations which are larger than life. Anderson was nominated for an Oscar from this movie, for the Best Writing, Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen, so he was the man behind the pen and paper as well. The movie has this one particular scene which I thought was absolutely beautiful and probably one of the best scenes I've ever seen, or at least the best scene I've seen in a long time. In this particular scene, both directing and the music, are used in a superior way and it's just mind blowing. I won't spoil the scene by telling you what it is, but I all I can say is that the scene includes singing. You'll know what I'm talking about when you see the movie. Paul Thomas Anderson, I salute you. "Magnolia" is, all in all, a great film. It has everything a drama should have; Excellent role performances, superb directing, terrific music, amazing screenplay and storytelling, being also so emotional, deep and touching. It's powerful, it's beautiful and at its best moments it's a streaming river that goes by. For every drama fan it is definitely a movie to watch.
"Magnolia" isn't a typical stories-bound-together -film. Despite the fact of it following the same theme as movies like these usually do it still manages to be original. The storytelling is absolutely brilliant, the whole building up of the characters follows the story in a fantastic flow and although the movie lasts for three hours it doesn't feel that long at all. The structure captures the attention of the viewer by first being depressive and sort of intense, but then it raises from a significant melancholy to a joyful experience and celebration, everything changes in a way that makes this film so unique and that is also surprisingly easy for your eyes and ears. The movie also includes one of the most surprising and twisted endings I've ever seen in a motion picture, you just can't see it coming unless you know it before-hand. The movie has this theme of unusual things happening throughout the human history and a message that these unusual, unimaginable, things are in fact occurring at this very moment and it happens all the time. Whether you believe it or not, it still happens and you can't change that. The film follows this theme along the progressions of the characters and their stories, and it is adapted to these stories in a terrific way.
What also makes this movie so damn good is the role performances, or should I say the actors/actresses doing them. Almost every performance is excellent and it is a real pleasure for your eyes to see such marvellous actors/actresses working together. Tom Cruise, who is in fact one of my favourite actors of all time, makes a stunning performance as Frank T.J. Mackey, the famous ladies' man. Cruise was even nominated for an Academy Award from the role. It's a real shame that Cruise doesn't do drama so much, as he is to me an ideal actor in a depressing and emotional drama. One of the reasons why I even bought this film on DVD was that it was a drama with Cruise in it, and the reviews weren't bad either. Then there's the always brilliant William H. Macy as the old child genius Donnie Smith, who now a loser and a failure in his own life, regretting his past. Macy is once again perfect in his role and he's one of those actors who can pretty much depress the whole audience by just pulling off a melancholy face, it's just that intense.
John C. Reilly as Jim Kurring, a cop seeking for love, also shows us that he can do impressive drama as well. Philip Baker Hall as the famous game-show host Jimmy Gator, Philip Seymour Hoffman as the emotional nurse Phil Parma, Jason Robards as the dying father Earl Partridge who now regrets the mistakes he has made in his life. Julianne Moore as Linda Partridge wasn't the best Moore I've seen. I think she wasn't so fit for the role itself and her performance was kind of a disappointment, though it isn't bad at all. I was just expecting more from her. Then there's the not so known actress Melora Walters as Claudia Wilson Gator, the daughter on drugs whose father seeks for her love. Walters also does an astonishing performance and when she is working together with Reilly the chemistry is overwhelming. Jeremy Blackman as Stanley Spector, the child genius long for his father's love, does one of the best performances I've seen from a child actor. The list just goes on and on and if you're seeking for a movie filled with excellent role performances then this is most certainly the movie you want to see.
Paul Thomas Anderson as the director does an amazing job behind the camera. We haven't heard much about him, but hopefully will be hearing much more about him in the future. His directing reflects the whole theme of the film so well and the music the movie has grows up situations which are larger than life. Anderson was nominated for an Oscar from this movie, for the Best Writing, Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen, so he was the man behind the pen and paper as well. The movie has this one particular scene which I thought was absolutely beautiful and probably one of the best scenes I've ever seen, or at least the best scene I've seen in a long time. In this particular scene, both directing and the music, are used in a superior way and it's just mind blowing. I won't spoil the scene by telling you what it is, but I all I can say is that the scene includes singing. You'll know what I'm talking about when you see the movie. Paul Thomas Anderson, I salute you. "Magnolia" is, all in all, a great film. It has everything a drama should have; Excellent role performances, superb directing, terrific music, amazing screenplay and storytelling, being also so emotional, deep and touching. It's powerful, it's beautiful and at its best moments it's a streaming river that goes by. For every drama fan it is definitely a movie to watch.