I sat through Magnolia on Saturday on BBC2. I saw the movie a few times when it came out but I hadn't seen it for a while and like a fine wine it has most definitely matured with age. I suppose that has something to do with the dearth of 'great' movies around today - Chicago anyone? Beautiful Mind? Do me a favour.
I'm a big Altman fan. I love Short Cuts, The Player, Nashville, A Wedding;these multi stranded movies with ensemble casts, i eat em up. But what Magnolia has in spades that Altman doesn't have is heart. Magnolia's Collective heart is bursting to get out it's rib-cage.
And yes, the actors do get the chance to flex their muscles. H Macy, Seymour Hoffman, Baker Hall, C Reilly, Moore, Cruise and oh yea, don't forget the legend that is Robards giving a masterclass, like it was nothing to him. I sat watching and listening to his monologues, looking at his hand reaching in vein for the pen, his eyes searching inside for the words and I'm thinking, no one could script this. The way he delivers his lines, stuttering, slurring, forgetting, yet he never once drops a word, you catch every single word. Awesome.
Ensemble acting like that you never see...never...it's the best collection of performances in a single movie I have ever seen bar none.
Every performance is laden with heart and soul and humanity. They are all on the money, pitched to perfection, subtle and nuanced - even Julianne Moore's wild, melodramatic turn has many levels and layers to it.
Anyway...by the time the frame freezes on that beautiful final smile, and i am exhausted, spent, in need of something, a drink a cigarette I dunno...one question...where the hell were the Oscars?
11/10
