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Magnolia

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Magnolia

R

Released Jan 7, 2000

3h 8m

Drama

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

82%

Tomatometer

219 Reviews

89%

Popcornmeter

100,000+ Ratings

On one random day in the San Fernando Valley, a dying father, a young wife, a male caretaker, a famous lost son, a police officer in love, a boy genius, an ex-boy genius, a game show host and an estranged daughter will each become part of a dazzling multiplicity of plots, but one story.

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Critics Consensus

An eruption of feeling that's as overwhelming as it is overwrought, Paul Thomas Anderson's Magnolia reaches a fevered crescendo and sustains it thanks to its fearlessly committed ensemble.

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Kevin Maher

Times (UK)

Anderson made an aching, yearning three-hour epic about lost souls in LA’s San Fernando Valley, culminating in a nutty, biblical-level frog deluge.

Rated: 5/5

May 9, 2025

Full Review

Roger Ebert

Chicago Sun-Times

Magnolia is operatic in its ambition, a great, joyous leap into melodrama and coincidence, with ragged emotions, crimes and punishments, deathbed scenes, romantic dreams, generational turmoil and celestial intervention, all scored to insistent music.

Rated: 4/4

Jul 15, 2023

Full Review

Ann Hornaday

Baltimore Sun

While not as fully realized as Anderson's last movie, Boogie Nights, Magnolia is filmed with the same skillful abandon, and takes many more artistic risks... The result is a movie as fascinating for its flaws as for its considerable successes.

Rated: 3/4

Jul 15, 2023

Full Review

Fico Cangiano

CineXpress Podcast

A fever dream of souls crashing, repentance, forgiveness and second chances. Tom Cruise is phenomenal in what could be Paul Thomas Anderson's best offering. [Full review in Spanish]

Rated: 5/5

Mar 28, 2025

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Philip Bagnall

Loud and Clear Reviews

Magnolia is an extraordinary film about ordinary lives.

Sep 19, 2024

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Robert Denerstein

Denver Rocky Mountain News

Anderson has dared to make a movie that refuses to conceal its excesses, an amazing abundance of strong emotion, technical verve and pure performance power.

Rated: A-

Jul 15, 2023

Full Review

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MikesReviewsArt n

Finally got around to seeing this on T.V. The acting is great all around raw moments unsettling, sorrowful. Messages how we should treat our children how f*cked up people are to them parents are. Peoples piss poor decision-making regret, loss & grief. It’s also about cheating & having loyalty to your spouse. It’s a messed up movie. It’s good, but yeah, messed up. Not really re-watchable. Amongst all the F up things in it at least there is one positive thing towards the end with John c Riley plays a cop ends up with the blonde. What’s up with the frogs? It was so weird the frogs raining. I guess it’s a random act that brings them all together. Overall, yeah, it’s a messed up movie and it’s good and I see why all the movie buffs are talking about this one. Recommended it collection worthy!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

05/29/25

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Audience Member

The film is just wonderful ,

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

05/12/25

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Fer S

I think it is a great movie, but the last hour or so was not as interesting. Some great acting.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

04/21/25

Full Review

Audience Member

The movie opens with a series of examples of incredible coincidences in history suggesting the movie will contain some as well, but it doesnt. There are no great coincidences in this movie at all. Then the raining frogs at the end has no meaning. God asked Moses to make frogs rain to scare Egypt into releasing the slaves. But there are no slaves in this movie. As Peter Griffin says: it imposes upon itself. Meanwhile the audience thinks its great because they love the artistic imagery of raining frogs because it has them talking endlessly, but thats only because it has no relation to the movie so they cant agree on an explanation. Total pretentious overrated trash. Its only redemption is the performances by Cruise and Moore.

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

04/15/25

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Laurian D

A masterpiece. Not one wasted line, not one unnecessary scene. Words are futile. Don't miss this one.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

03/24/25

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Paul E

confusing and lots of bad characters

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

03/23/25

Full Review

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Paul Thomas Anderson

Director

Jason Robards

Earl Partridge

Julianne Moore

Linda Partridge

Tom Cruise

Frank T.J. Mackey

Philip Seymour Hoffman

Phil Parma

John C. Reilly

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Synopsis

On one random day in the San Fernando Valley, a dying father, a young wife, a male caretaker, a famous lost son, a police officer in love, a boy genius, an ex-boy genius, a game show host and an estranged daughter will each become part of a dazzling multiplicity of plots, but one story.

Director: Paul Thomas Anderson
Producer: Paul Thomas Anderson, JoAnne Sellar
Screenwriter: Paul Thomas Anderson
Distributor: New Line Cinema
Production Co: New Line Cinema, Ghoulardi Film Company, Magnolia Project
Rating: R (Language|Drug Use|Sexuality|Violence)
Genre: Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Jan 7, 2000, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Feb 6, 2014
Box Office (Gross USA): $22.5M
Runtime: 3h 8m
Sound Mix: Surround, Dolby Digital, DTS, SDDS
Aspect Ratio: Scope (2.35:1)

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