Magnolia (1999) Dir: Paul Thomas Anderson

Instagram post:

https://www.instagram.com/p/DSm9rd1jRmo/?igsh=MW9hYjNscnEwZTlzYQ==

Paul Thomas Anderson has one of the most highly acclaimed filmographies of all-time, with this 1999 film being one of his most beloved. My experience with the filmmaker had, to this point, been limited to 'Licorice Pizza'; a film I did not like, and found very problematic, and 'There Will Be Blood'; a film that blew me away. I was far more hopeful about this film, however, because it seems to be almost universally adored by its viewers. I was fortunate enough to get to watch this at a Picturehouse, which felt like the perfect way to see a classic film like this.

It had some very unique cinematography, which utilised both traditional and contemporary editing and shot types to create a marvellous, singular, and altogether beautiful film. I absolutely adored some of the visual imagery and lighting choices - it was wonderful to see such a well-crafted film. The soundtrack, mostly by Aimee Mann, was also marvellous, and fit the thematic vibes of the film perfectly. It all elevated the emotional impact of the film even more.

I loved how the film subverted expectations time and time again, without ever feeling jarring, although one moment was particularly bizarre and needed some post-viewing research to explain its meaning - anyone who watches, or has already watched, the film will know exactly what I'm referring to. The characterisation was immaculately composed, particularly in how it was initially presented one way, and then how it evolved before the audience's eyes into something else.

The film is very long, at over three hours, but I hardly felt that runtime at all - the pacing was exquisite. Every scene provided some substance to keep the audience invested, interested, and entertained. The comedy was funny, the drama was evocative, and the twists were shocking. The film had just about everything, but never once did it feel cluttered or bogged down. The various character arcs all felt important, the cross-overs felt smooth and natural, and the characters themselves felt believable. I was totally blown away by the cohesive nature of such a wild and intricate story, as well how good the dialogue was - it was all just masterful.

The film featured a truly star-studded ensemble cast, who provided one of the most complete cast performances I've ever seen. Three names stood out even more than the rest, though. The way Tom Cruise showed the three stages of his character; the showmanship, the slip in persona, and then the complete breakdown, was superb. Julianne Moore provided one of the best performances from an actress I've ever seen - she was so convincing, so emotive, and a lot more endearing than I ever expected at the start of the film.

When I say that Philip Seymour Hoffman gave one of the most endearing performances of his career, that should really say something about how good he was in this film. His ability to get a tremendous degree of emotional vulnerability out of just about any role was almost unmatched. There are just too many great performances to highlight, but I really ought to mention Philip Baker Hall, William H. Macy, John C. Reilly, Melora Walters, and Jeremy Blackman as well, because not one of them gave a bad performance at any point. They were all just excellent in their various roles.

Overall, I thought this was an absolute masterpiece. It had a little bit of everything, but did so without going overboard, or without tripping over itself. For such a long film, it was extremely easy to watch, and held my attention for its entire runtime like it was nothing. Few films have ever felt as expansive and complete as this one. Every time I think about it, I love it more. It is, without a doubt, one of the greatest films of all-time, in my humble opinion. What a truly special film.