Watch Magnolia
- R
- 1999
- 3 hr 8 min
-
8.0 (333,641)
Magnolia is a 1999 American epic drama film that interweaves several storylines in the San Fernando Valley, California. Directed by Paul Thomas Anderson, the film features an ensemble cast that includes Tom Cruise, Julianne Moore, Philip Seymour Hoffman, William H. Macy, John C. Reilly, and Jason Robards. The filmâs title is a reference to the Magnolia tree which has large, showy flowers that symbolize the beauty and fragility of life. The film explores themes of regret, forgiveness, redemption, and interconnectivity between people.
The movie opens with a prologue narrated by Ricky Jay, introducing the characters and their stories. The plot is divided into ten chapters, each with its own characters and plotlines that converge towards a powerful and emotional climax.
The first chapter, "Prologue: Introduction", introduces the main characters of the film, including the aging television producer, Earl Partridge (Jason Robards), who is dying of cancer while struggling with his regrets about his troubled relationship with his estranged son, Frank T.J. Mackey (Tom Cruise), a self-help guru who advocates seduction techniques.
Chapter 2, "The Story of Jimmy Gator", explores the life of Jimmy Gator (Philip Baker Hall), the aging host of a popular TV game show and his estranged daughter, Claudia (Melora Walters), a drug-addicted child prodigy.
Chapter 3, "That Was then, This Is Now," introduces a group of young men who try to make a living by selling drugs, including John (John C. Reilly), a lonely and naïve cop, and his partner, Jim (Philip Seymour Hoffman), who is secretly in love with him.
Chapter 4, "On the Phone," follows the life of Linda Partridge (Julianne Moore), Earl's wife, who regrets cheating on her husband and tries to make amends by caring for him during his final days.
Chapter 5, "Paranoia and Fear," explores the life of Donnie Smith (William H. Macy), a former child star who is now a lonely, failed adult and has an unhealthy obsession with his former TV show.
Chapter 6, "The Day of Wrath", follows Frank T.J. Mackey who is about to perform a seminar on seduction. His past and his relationship with his father are explored in this section.
Chapter 7, "That Evening Sun," is about a dying man named Solomon Solomon (Pat Healy) who is cared for by his nurse, Phil Parma (Philip Seymour Hoffman).
Chapter 8, "Love Hurts," explores the blossoming romance between Officer Jim Kurring and Claudia Gator, two of the film's damaged characters.
Chapter 9, "Lost Children," sees the various characters at the lowest points of their journey as the rain pours down upon them, offering no solace.
Chapter 10, "The Magnolia," sees many of the stories begin to come together in unexpected ways as an event in the sky causes chaos and reveals connections between the characters.
Magnolia is a sprawling film that explores the interconnectedness of human lives and the power of redemption in the face of regret. It is a mesmerizing, deeply emotional and powerful film that is anchored by its excellent cast's performances. Tom Cruise gives one of his most remarkable performances as the self-help guru, and Julianne Moore is also memorable as Linda Partridge. Magnolia is a film that rewards repeated viewings and is a true masterpiece of American cinema.
Magnolia is a 1999 drama with a runtime of 3 hours and 8 minutes. It has received mostly positive reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 8.0 and a MetaScore of 78.
