Magnolia Summary
MPAA Rating: R
Director: Paul Thomas Anderson
Genres: Drama
Rating:
Writer/director Paul_Thomas_Anderson followed his critical and commercial breakthrough Boogie_Nights with this wildly ambitious story of lives intertwining on a single day in California's San Fernando Valley. Earl Partridge (Jason_Robards), a successful producer of television game shows, left his wife when she contracted cancer to marry the younger and more beautiful Linda (Julianne_Moore). Now, Earl has cancer himself, and Linda spends her day fetching medicines and trying to deal with the imminent death of her husband, whom she has only now come to love. Earl asks his nurse Phil (Philip_Seymour_Hoffman) to arrange a meeting with his estranged son, Frank Mackey (Tom_Cruise), known for his self-help program "Seduce and Destroy," in which he preaches the importance of male sexual prowess; he cared for his mother after Earl left her, and he has no desire to see his father again. Earl's best-known show is hosted by Jimmy Gator (Philip_Baker_Hall), who also learns that he is dying. Jimmy's show pits bright adults against unusually smart kids; one of Jimmy's child contestants, Stanley (Jeremy_Blackman), arrives late for a taping after being left stranded by his father Rick (Michael_Bowen), who is supported by his more successful son. Meanwhile, Donnie Smith (William_H._Macy), who was a champ on Jimmy's show as a child, is not having as much luck as an adult; he's just lost his job and needs to pay for some expensive dental work. Jimmy wants to reconcile with his estranged and emotionally fragile daughter Claudia (Melora_Walters), who despises him and who will become involved with well-meaning police officer Jim Kurring (John_C._Reilly), who has been desperately lonely since his divorce three years ago. Magnolia reunites much of the cast and crew of Boogie_Nights and features eight original songs by singer/songwriter Aimee_Mann and a musical score by Jon_Brion. Mark Deming, Rovi
Browse More Movies:
