After writing and directing a masterpiece as ‘Boogie Nights’ (1997) at only 27,the question was what’s next with PT Anderson?
Then you take basically the same cast,same city but nowadays and this time a very personal script and Anderson’s
maestra,mix it all together and the result is ‘Magnolia’.
Released in 1999 (he managed to write and direct two of the best Hollywood films of the 90’s),‘Magnolia’ is an opera in three acts.
The main character in the film is life (Robert Altman’s ‘Short Cuts’ is shadowing),and life has 9 different names in this one.
All of these ‘names’ deal with pain for several reasons (cancer,love,lonelyness,anger,betrayal,abuse,breakdown…).
The father figure and his influence on kids life is a central point of this work,but let’s go back to that opera if you do ‘t mind.
Act 1:is a one hour brillant and pretentious intro in which the director shows is his skills as a camera director.
Most of the ’names’ are introduced by travelling cameras suggesting that they’re alive because of the movement (a PTA trademark for those who remember ‘Punch-Drunk-Love’s introduction).
Act 2:could be called looking for love,we actually for the hour get to know better the ‘names’ and while dealing with their own demons it’s obvious that they’re all looking for love and forgiveness:they are Humans.
This is when the director becomes less pretentious and let his main character be.‘Grand Canyon’ and ‘Short Cuts’ remain the major inspirations.
Act 3:the end of the tragedy,the last hour is the epilogue and we witness the law of karma doing its job.
The ones who suffered from the previous bad actions of the others find a connection with something greater:love and forgiveness,the others are then alone with their pain and remorses.
A classic drama,a wonderful director,a brillant cast:ambitious,deep and smart:another masterpiece to me.