Magnolia: On one day, many lives are brought

BY BRANDY BENSON

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.

Pictured (l-r) in a scene from New Line Cinema's Magnolia are characters Stanley Spector (Jeremy Blackman), Rick Spector (Michael Bowen)

Through a collusion of coincidence, chance, human action, shared media, past history and divine intervention, they will weave and warp through each other's lives on a day that builds to an unforgettable climax. Some will seek forgiveness, others escape. Some will mend frayed bonds, others will be exposed.

Magnolia is a mosaic of American life woven through a series of comic and poignant vignettes. It is a portrait of a lonely city sometimes called up short on love. It is a personal exploration of the hidden elements of crisis. It is a story about putting things right again.

Magnolia is written, directed and produced by Paul Thomas Anderson. The film stars Jeremy Blackman, Tom Cruise, Melinda Dillon, Philip Baker Hall, Philip Seymour Hoffman, William H. Macy, Julianne Moore, John C. Reilly, Jason Robards and Melora Walters, among others. The film also is produced by JoAnne Sellar with Daniel Lupi as co-producer.

Magnolia, currently playing, is rated R.