Paul Thomas Anderson's ("Boogie Nights") latest remarkable creation is entitled, (for a reason unknown to me) "Magnolia." It is a three hour long look into the lives of a large cast of unique characters and ways in which they are connected. The film is really about unbelievable coincidences, and how they can effect our lives in unimaginable ways.
The first coincidence is explored by the narrator before the film really begins. He tells a couple of quick stories, the main one being that of a boy who attempts suicide. The boy jumps off of a building, and while falling in midair, is hit by a bullet fired inadvertently by his mother through his window. The boy lands on a safety net, which would have saved his life. But instead, he is killed instantly by this bullet which he, himself, had loaded into the shotgun. This remarkable coincidence sets the tone for the many stories to which we are about to be treated.
I will not go into much plot detail, mainly because there is so much to it, and I do not want to spoil your enjoyment of the film. I will instead outline the main characters in the San Fernando Valley into whose lives we get a glimpse for a period of 24 hours.
Jason Robards plays Earl Partridge, a very wealthy elderly man lying on his deathbed. His wife, played by Julianne Moore, is about forty years young than he. Not surprisingly, we learn that she married him for his money. As he has been lying on his deathbed though, his wife has fallen madly in love with him and is terribly regretful for what she has done. A third character in this story is Earl's bedside nurse, Phil, played beautifully by Philip Seymour Hoffman.
A second story is of Stanley (Jeremy Blackman), a child genius who is currently a contestant on the nation's long running, top rated game show, "What Do Kids Know?" He is struggling with the pressure that his father is putting on him to display his intelligence on the show. The show's host of thirty years, Jimmy Gator (Philip Baker Hall), has serious problems of his own, and they are causing him to come to terms with all he has been doing wrong with his life.
Another story, the most powerful one, is of Frank T. J. Mackey (Tom Cruise), a motivation speaker and author of a program called "Seduce and Destroy." Through this program, Mackey teaches men how to make women putty in their hands. He is being interviewed for a news program, and the interviewer is determined to look into Mackey's murky past, a subject Mackey would prefer be left alone.
Officer Kurring (John C. Reilly), another of the main characters, answers calls of disturbances, and uses his best judgement to handle the unique situations he must face daily. He develops a relationship with Claudia, a drug addict who is coping with immense personal and family problems.
Finally, the last major story is that of William H. Macy's character, the grown up "Quiz Kid" Donnie Smith, who lost much of his intelligence when he was hit by lightning. His teeth appear to be perfect, but he is intent on getting braces for a hilarious, and at the same time pathetic, reason that you discover midway through the film.
Some of the characters above are related or have other strange connections, but I will not give any of that away as discovering their secrets and connections is one of the most enjoyable aspects of the film. All of the emotional stories with which we are presented come together in a most incredibly unique climax and natural phenomenon that I will not dare give away. "Magnolia" is now available on video, and I urge you that when you go rent it, you do not study the pictures on the box in any way, as they give away too many secrets!
The film is full of incredible performances, from that by Tom Cruise, to Julianne Moore, to William H. Macy, to Philip Seymour Hoffman, to Philip Baker Hall. Each one of them deserved to be nominated for an Oscar, but only Tom Cruise received the honor. It is a shame that the Academy continued its tradition of honoring more accomplished actors, and instead of giving the award to Cruise, gave it to a less deserving Michael Caine of "Cider House Rules." Cruise has, however, won other awards including the Golden Globe for his remarkable performance as the testosterone driven speaker, Frank T. J. Mackey.
Paul Thomas Anderson's "Magnolia" is one of the most inventive and daring films released in 1999. In many other years, it could have been considered the best picture, but in this incredible year for film, it falls right under "American Beauty," "Fight Club," and "Go" on my list. "Magnolia" will not soon be forgotten. If you have not seen it yet, do yourself a favor and go rent it today!
Rated R for strong language, drug use, sexuality, and some violence
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