At three hours long, and with a cast the size of a "small city," one reviewer says, "Magnolia would have to be one of the most chaotic movies I've ever seen." But it's not. It's fluid and somehow organized, according to all reports.
And, according to all reports, this is no accident. Written and Directed by Paul Thomas Anderson (Boogie Nights), the movie draws together nine interlocking stories that reach in all directions, and, ultimately, tie together.
The cast is showstopping; there's just no other way to describe it. Try the list of stars – Jason Robards, Julianne Moore, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Michael Bowen, William Macy, (you remember Fargo?), and stuck in just for good measure, Tom Cruise, yes, The Tom Cruise.
It is described thus: "On one random day in the San Fernando Valley, a dying father, a young wife, a male caretaker, a famous lost son, a police officer in love, a boy genius, an ex-boy genius, a game show host and an estranged daughter will each become . . . one story." Whew!
The film is a story of angst, fate and forgiveness. This, certainly, isn't original. But, the way Anderson takes the worn cliches and twists them, is. The critics stand awed, prompting one to say, describing the film's closure, "the slightest mumble feels like a Shakespearean soliloquy."
Rated R for strong language, drug use, sexuality and some violence.
It starts Thursday at Sunny Isle Theaters.