Magnolia
1999
*****
Director: Paul Thomas Anderson
Cast: Jason Robards, Julianne Moore, Philip Baker Hall, Tom Cruise, Philip Seymour Hoffman, William H. Macy, John C. Reilly,
Melora Walters, Jeremy Blackman, Melinda Dillon, Ricky Jay, Alfred Molina
Paul Thomas Anderson's mesmerising and assuredly directed tapestry of intertwining lives in Los Angeles centres around two guilt-ridden patriarchs who are both dying of cancer. The other characters in the story are also struggling. This long and extremely powerful, though undeniably depressing, drama examines loneliness, regret, forgiveness, and coincidence. Tom Cruise is a revelation as a misogynistic motivational speaker, but the performances are outstanding throughout the ensemble cast. The songs by Aimee Mann are ingeniously woven into the narrative.
