Magnolia (1999)
Now THAT is a film that leaves an impression - not only for its bat-shit crazy ending but also for its mesmerizingly operatic entirety. An interwoven epic following the trials and tribulations of an ensemble of characters in the San Fernando Valley, Magnolia is a film that could only have been crafted by the deft hand of Paul Thomas Anderson. Equally amazing, the film boasts powerhouse performances by pretty much every one of its extensive cast making its close to three-hour run-time no challenge to get through.
Magnolia is the type of film that long essays can easily be written about. Though there are some more direct connections between the characters one learns of as the film progresses, it is in the indirect, yet underlying, threads that connect the cast of characters together and the film itself as a whole. These are all individuals who are very much still struggling with their identity in the world. One major theme is the prolonged impact that negative actions by a parent can have on a child. This may be in the form of abandonment and neglect, cruelty, or possible molestation. As evidenced by a number of these characters, the harm that is done to the child can stay with them for a lifetime and influence who they become as an adult. In many cases, the parent too eventually realizes the effect of their actions. In other places in the film, characters struggle with love and the fight to find someone to connect with in the world, this loss replaced with drugs, obsessive quirks and behavioural issues. Plotwise, much of the film is centred in the entertainment industry, specifically a long-running quiz show (and its host and contestants), its television tycoon producer, and an infomercial male-oriented love guru. Of the large cast mentioned, Tom Cruise, Philip Baker Hall, Julianne Moore and Melora Walters were particular standouts for me (though Philip Seymour Hoffman, John C. Reilley and William H. Macy are each great too).
Much of the appeal of the film is in its confident execution by PTA who both wrote and directed the film. Magnolia has an overly memorable prologue that sets the stage for the film's key theme, it has a unique and moving musical segment in its climax, and then, at its end, it has its profound, biblical-esque ending. Tie these three elements with the cast's performances, a score filled with gravitas and emotion, and PTA's script and esteemed camera movement (whip pans and tracking shots galore) and you've not only got an excellent film but one that is daring to break the mold and push the boundary of what we perceive as great cinema.
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