Magnolia

Release Year: 1999
Review: Paul Thomas Anderson's complex examination of a day in the lives of ten people, all of whom are loosely connected to each other. There is a lot going on in this film and extracting meaning from the disjointed scenes can be tough at times, yet at the same time it makes it that much more rewarding. There are strong themes of coincidence, fate, regret and personal growth all of which are brilliantly explored throughout the different story arches. The beginning and ending scenes are both beautiful and perfectly executed, and these two scenes alone elevate the rest of the film. The middle portion I have issues with. Mostly that it is too muddled for its own good. There are so many story lines inter-spliced that they tend to get in the way of themselves. The length also starts to become an issue. Not wanting to short change any one story line, it begins to drag out the film too long. Despite its problems it does have a fantastic ensemble cast, with great performances by some of the best actors of the decade. Tom Cruise's manly motivational speaker and John C. Riley's by the books cop stand out among them, each creating memorable characters that deserved more time. There are some lull points, but it is entirely worth it. This is fantastically realized film.
Rating: 4/5