Plot/Cast/Characters
On a rainy day in LA the lives of several individuals are intertwined as they navigate life, love, and loss.
Earl Partridge (Jason Robards in one of his final roles) is dying of cancer, and his young wife Linda (Julianne Moore), who only married him for his money – now wants to rescind what she is to inherit as she truly loves him now.
Earl asks his nurse Phil (Phillip Seymour Hoffman) to find his long lost son Frank (Tom Cruise, in nothing like you’ve ever seen him – and earning one of his Oscar noms) – who is now a motivational speaker helping men attract women.
Earl once worked on the television program ‘What Do Kids Know’ – hosted by Jimmy Gator (Phillip Baker Hall) – who is also dying of cancer. Jimmy is trying to reconnect with his daughter Claudia (Melora Walters), a drug addict who is being pursued by nice cop Jim Kurring (John C Reilly).
On What do Kids Know, there is a new “carryover” champ in Stanley (Jeremy Blackman), who is being pushed by his father Rick (Michael Bowen) to beat the best champ of all time Donnie Smith (William H Macy) – now broke, unemployed and in love with a man he cannot have.
Direction
Paul Thomas Anderson’s third feature film is very good, with some great long shots. I found his style here to be “Tarantino-esque” especially as the narratives shift between different characters, and even some ultra close shots that QT is known for.
Breakdown
Starting with a (overlong?) “montage” of odd and ironic stories (a pilot accidentally picks up a snorkeler in a river while collecting water fighting fires, who he had an altercation with the day before) etc – it introduces all the characters who we will get to know over the next three hours over the ballad “one is the loneliest number”.
The individuals either have no one really close to them, or struggle to “have someone”.
The narrative is slightly non conventional – with no “real” beginning/middle/end – as some of the stories are left unresolved, unanswered – or with the audience wanting more. Such instances are the dead body found by Jim at the start of the film, and Claudia’s addiction and relationship with both Jim and Jimmy.
At a very lengthy 3hrs, it is a struggle to get through – with so many heavy themes, especially those of terminal illnesses, abandonment, addiction etc.
It also feels as if many of the characters have darkness to them which they want to change – especially those of Earl and Jimmy whose time is limited.
There are some moments throughout this behemoth that some story-points feel like they are concluding, but they continue – and perhaps go on for slightly too long. Despite this, Anderson deserved his Oscar nomination for Best Screenplay with some lines staying with me personally (Donnie’s “I often confuse melancholy for depression” hit deep).
Despite this, all the narratives are extremely engaging, and are performed to perfection. All the cast are on their A Game here, with some of them giving what is arguably their best role to date.
The score and soundtrack, with some fantastic song choices played throughout. The score is magnificent – and plays underneath several moments. I absolutely loved the (Oscar nominated) song “Wise Up” by Aimee Mann – in which all the cast sing along to in their own ‘narrative placement’ within the film.
There are ‘slight’ touches of comedy that break up the seriousness of the film too. One is when Phil is trying to find Frank and he is talking to a man on the phone saying “if this was a movie, this is the time you would help me” – and I personally found it amusing that Frank finally goes to see his father near the end of the film and meeting Phil (this is pre MI3 in which these two men would star alongside each other again).
The raining frogs scene in the final has multiple reason behind it, (biblical, another ironic story similar to those told at the beginning etc) and I found it an acceptable end to the film.
Overall
While this was a very hard film to get through in one sitting (I actually had to watch it over 2 nights due to its length and other commitments), it is a stunning film to watch. Wonderfully written/directed and acted – with great soundtrack and score. Just a little too long, and with some arcs left unresolved.
4.5/5
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