From the Vault: Magnolia

In 1999, the film Magnolia was nominated for three academy awards including best supporting actor (Tom Cruise). With such an all star cast, including John C Reilly, Julianne Moore, Philip Seymour Hoffman, William H. Macy, and Jeremy Blackman, it is shocking that it did not win more actor/actress nominations! The plot of the film is a bit confusing though similar to Crash and Happy Endings, in which various story lines are presented that appear unrelated only to link up by the end of the movie. In this film, the stories all involve some aspect of the network television industry. The story lines include:
      Tom Cruise as a seller of a chauvinistic "help book" called Seduce and Destroy which teaches men how to seduce women without feeling any emotional connection.
       Philip Seymour Hoffman as a male nurse for Earl Partridge (Jason Robards) who is an extremely wealthy network owner and husband of Linda Partridge (Julianne Moore)
       Philip Baker Hall who is the game show host for the show "What Do Kids Know" (a precursor to Are You Smarter Than a Fifth Grader) and father to coke addict Claudia (Melora Walters)
       John C. Reilly plays a police officer who meets Claudia when he is called to her house on a noise complaint.
       William H. Macy plays Donnie Smith, the winner of "What Do Kids Know" in the 1960s who is now forgotten and facing money troubles.
       Jeremey Blackman as Stanley who is the current leading contestant on "What Do Kids Know" but is about to buckle under the pressure.

Each story is extremely tragic and there is little levity in the entire movie. With the running time passing three hours, this film can be best described as oppressive. For those who love depressing movies, tragic characters, and superb acting...this film is absolutely for you! However, be aware that there is an extremely odd event that occurs within the last half an hour of the movie that made me cock my head to the side and wonder "what is the director thinking?!" Still, it does not distract too much from the film's story. All of this is typical of the director Paul Thomas Anderson who is responsible for such modern classics as There Will Be Blood, Punch-Drunk Love, and Boogie Nights. If nothing else, watch this movie for Cruise's performance alone. His depiction of an insane chauvinistic pig is so much like his current personal state that it is a wonder it was more than ten years ago and not filmed yesterday! Though it's longer than most viewers would like, or even be able to stand, it was worthwhile.

-DLP