Paul Thomas Anderson is one of the greatest directors if all time, and his lengthy epic, "Magnolia", is simply a testament of his vision. This is a film that shows us his quirky characters, emotional depth, and his love of raw entertainment. Clocking in at 3 hours and 8 minutes, "Magnolia" kept my attention throughout. I was glued to the screen, and completely mesmerized. The film drew me in and when it was over, I couldn't believe so much time had passed.
The performances are simply superb here. An ensemble cast of Tom Cruise, Julianne Moore, William H. Macy, John C. Reilly, Phillip Baker Hall, Philip Seymour Hoffman, and Jason Robards (among others) all deliver performances that, if in their own film, would have certainly raked in awards. The story here is not clear at first. It all starts with a series of vignettes with different people, but as the movie progresses, we see how they are connected. Tensions build until it all is released in one of the best, most bizarre, hilarious, wacky, and yet deep film climaxes I have ever seen. This most certainly is a thinking man's movie, and can easily start conversations with people.
From a technical standpoint, the film is a marvel. I can easily see this movie being shown in college level film classes, simple because of its beauty. Anderson has a tendency to make films that are fun to look at, and this is a great example. Every camera angle maximizes the set it is filming, with no frivolous and useless space onscreen. Tracking shots are clear and steady, and the camera is always in the perfect position for facial reactions. The look of each character also helps in the beauty. From Cruise's greasy long hair, to Macy's hilariously dorky red glasses, each character looks wonderful.
Where this movie truly earns its merits is in depth. The worldview presented in this movie is that life is hard, and only gets harder. Themes of love, forgiveness, regret, and loneliness all pervade the film. We know that ,from the Bible, God tells us to that we can overcome any obstacle, no matter how hard life is. Through the mistakes many characters make, they are almost all atoned for by the end. The son forgives his neglectful father, the boy forgives his harsh dad, the cop forgives the thief (etc...). We know that God wants us to forgive, and "Magnolia" shows us how hard it can be, but that in the end, it is worth it. Something brought up frequently is how the past is inescapable, and that we can't be done with it. We can be forgiven, but we are accountable for what we have done. We cannot hide from the past, and the film shows us that life is full of mistakes, but through forgiveness, we can weather it when the past finally comes back.
Rated R for strong language, drug use, sexuality and some violence
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