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Magnolia

Play trailer Poster for Magnolia R 2000 3h 8m Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
82% Tomatometer 220 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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Magnolia

Magnolia

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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 feverish crescendo and sustains it thanks to its fearlessly committed ensemble.

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Critics Reviews

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Kevin Maher The Times (UK) 05/09/2025
5/5
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. Go to Full Review Roger Ebert Chicago Sun-Times 07/15/2023
4/4
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. Go to Full Review Ann Hornaday Baltimore Sun 07/15/2023
3/4
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. Go to Full Review Matt Oakes Silver Screen Riot 3d
Because in a world where it can rain frogs, nothing that already happened gets to be the last word. And Magnolia – a film obsessed with the idea that the past is never finished with you – cuts to black on the exact instant somebody decides to try anyway. Go to Full Review Brian Eggert Deep Focus Review Feb 24
4/4
Its restless camera, onrushing music, heartbreaking monologues, and incomparable ensemble of marvelous performances generate a momentum that feels less plotted than propelled by raw emotion. Go to Full Review Fico Cangiano CineXpress Podcast 03/28/2025
5/5
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] Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Lynch F @Lynchfan 2d One of my top ten favourite movies to watch 🎬🍿 See more Michael D @RT46803293 Aug 11 I was waiting for 3 hours for the story lines to come together. They never do… See more Christopher M @RT27122576 Jun 7 This film is amazingly put together. The pacing and cutting between stories is masterful. Unbelievable acting, though I didn't care for all the characters. I found the music a bit overwhelming. Also, I didn't find the intersecting lives part of the plot to unfold as cleanly as it could have and thought the movies slid into a bit of a mess at the end, but I will edit this review after second watch, as I feel that could clean up the story for me. See more David M. @Dmesuda May 29 My all time favorite film. It’s not for everyone, but to me it is twenty minute too long, self important, self indulgent, Hollywood perfection. See more Thyaagu C @Thyaagu May 24 Movie is basically 3 hours of pure emotional wreckage across generations - from kids to old men - and somehow every single emotion lands perfectly. The performances? Unreal. Every lead absolutely cooked. I’m genuinely stunned at how beautifully crafted this film is. See more R T @Snakeyb May 22 Incredible film, period. Only dumb dumbs would disagree. My significant other agrees with me because she is not a dumb dumb See more Read all reviews
Magnolia

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Cast & Crew

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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

Jim Kurring

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Magnolia

William H. Macy as Quiz Kid Donny Smith in New Line's Magnolia Philip Baker Hall and Melinda Dillon in New Line's Magnolia Tom Cruise and Jason Robards in New Line's Magnolia John C. Reilly and Emmanuel Johnson in New Line's Magnolia Philip Seymour Hoffman as Phil Parma in New Line's Magnolia Craig Kvinsland, William H. Macy and Henry Gibson in New Line's Magnolia Jeremy Blackman as Stanley Spector in New Line's Magnolia Julianne Moore and Jason Robards in New Line's Magnolia John C. Reilly as Jim Kurring in New Line's Magnolia Julianne Moore and Jason Robards in New Line's Magnolia View more photos

Movie Info

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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