DVD Reviews

Magnolia - Blu-ray Review

By Jeff Swindoll Jan 22, 2010, 13:52 GMT

An intriguing and entertaining study in characters going through varying levels of crisis and introspection. This psychological drama leads you in several different directions, weaving and intersecting various subplots and characters, from a brilliant Tom Cruise, as a self-proclaimed pied-piper, to a child forced to go on a TV game show and the pressures he faces from a ruthless father. ...more

“These strange things happen all the time.”

Director Paul Thomas Anderson took the success of Boogie Nights and parlayed it into another multiple character film that was even longer than its predecessor.  You might think that this “more of the same” plan would blow up in his face, but weaving in some urban legends only produced a fascinating film.  

Producer Earl Partridge (Jason Robards) is dying.  He’s being nursed by his much younger wife Linda (Julianne Moore) and home nurse Phil Parma (Philip Seymour Hoffman).  Earl produces the quiz show “What do Kids Know?” that is hosted by Jimmy Gator (Philip Baker Hall).  Jimmy harbors a secret only known to his wife Rose (Melinda Dillon). 

The current child that is winning the show is Stanley Spector (Jeremy Blackman) but former 1960s “Quiz Kid” Donnie Smith (William H. Macy) gained fame from the show but now finds his life in a shambles. 

Frank T.J. Mackey (Tom Cruise) had a life in shambles in the past, but has refashioned himself as a successful self-help guru under the moniker of “Seduce and Destroy.”  Meanwhile, Officer Jim Kurring (John C. Reilly) is called in on a noise complaint against Claudia (Melora Walters), Jimmy and Rose’s daughter, and is smitten with the dysfunctional lass.  All of their stories will converge in a surprising event that will cause you to look towards the skies.  

“What am I doing? I'm quietly judging you.”  Ah, the definition of a reviewer.  Respect the reviewer!  Nah, that would be going to far in this review. 

Paul Thomas Anderson set the bar high with the girth of Boogie Nights.  Again he steps into a multi-character interconnected film and again he scores.  This time around he highlights the oddities of life including biblical references and a host of urban legends. 

Tom Cruise steps away from his usual roles to step into the role of Mackey and scored an Oscar nomination (the film would also get screenplay and original song nods).  The cast is peopled with fantastic actors and they’re on the top of their game here.  Each character seems to have a small movie of their own, all connected by circumstance of course, and everyone shines. 

This would be Robards last big screen appearance so the dying man might not have been much of a stretch, but he would go out with a fine performance.  I could just go on with a laundry list of the actor’s names and how wonderful they are.  Let’s just suffice to say that they’re all great. 

Magnolia smells just as sweet as the flower.  It may be an acquired taste (some bristled at the “big event” of the finale) but it tasted like a gourmet banquet to me.  

Magnolia is presented in a 1080p high definition transfer (2.40:1).  Special features are presented in standard definition and include the unflinching, 72 minute “Magnolia Video Diary,” 4 minutes of the Frank T.J. Mackey Seminar, the 2 minute “Seduce and Destroy Infomercial,” Aimee Mann’s “Save Me” 5 minute music video, and 9 minutes of trailers and TV spots.  

It’s hard for me to get around that Anderson has only made five films, but oh what films those five are.  Magnolia is a film that puts him in the pantheon of great directors and great films.  

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