It’s the first time I’ve seen Magnolia, and boy was it a LONG movie.  I would say that is my biggest complaint about the movie, which isn’t really all that bad.  However, when you notice a movie is too long, that’s not a good sign usually.  It was actually too long because we started watching it too late, and I was pretty tired, but other than that, it wasn’t because it was dull or boring. 

This movie, which was written and directed by Paul Thomas Anderson, the same guy behind Boogie Nights, which I loved, is a little bit of a departure for him.  It was made with an ensemble cast, including some of his regulars that appear in many of his movies, including Luis Guzman, William H Macy, Julianne Moore and others whom I can’t name because I only know their faces.  Julianne Moore though, I’d have to say, was not my favorite part of the movie. 

While I generally enjoy Moore’s performances, that thing is that her character in this movie is just plain unlikeable, and well, she’s just annoying.  I’m not sure if she could have played it differently given obvious direction to play a tripped out psychotic money grubber. 

The movie is one of those that kind of ties all the story lines together in some odd ways in the end, and it tends to teeter on surrealism, which may be hard for some to swallow who think they are just going to see a standard issue drama.  When I say surrealism, I mean there is one scene where all character, enmeshed in various precarious situations, break out in song - the same song. 

There is also a scene involving frogs that I don’t want to spoil for you if you haven’t seen it, but you’ll know exactly what I’m talking about when and if you see the movie.  This movie came out a while ago, at least eight years ago I’d say, and it still holds up and pretty inovative.  It’s a mesh of stories all put together about strangers, or people we think are strangers, and the turns their lives are taking for dramatic changes all around the same time. 

We see through the movie that our first impressions of the characters aren’t correct, and that there is evil in who we thought was good, and good in what we thought was evil.  Tom Cruise, by the way, does some of his best acting work in Magnolia.  He plays a self involved, grand delusional guru who tells men they can conquer women sexually in any way they want to, and in not such nice terms either. 

We see that he’s a really dangerous type of guy, the type that can preach, and seems to have no real soul.  Then we find out why he’s become like this, and the rest is history.  It’s actually quite chilling to see him act in this role, as it foreshadows some of his personal life faux pas today, and gives us a glimpse into his passion for his religion that he speaks about so openly now.  You’ll see what I mean when and if you see this. 

All in all, make sure you watch Magnolia when you are awake and not even close to bedtime, because there are some parts that drag, however it’s a totally unique movie that has some excellent acting and unique camera angles that make it worth the three hours.