Review of Magnolia

Magnolia (1999)
6/10
Premature ejaculation
25 December 2006
Heh, now that I got your attention with my title, let me tell you what it means. This movie begins brilliantly. Like a thrilling sexual encounter, the opening scene hooks us. From there it builds up very nicely. A lot of intensity, passion, power, throbbing scenes and undulating rhythms. Ooh baby. Then right at the halfway mark--whoosh! An awesome climax.

And for the next hour I'm sitting there saying, uh OK, why am I still here? The second half had none of the thrill. The music (which was wonderfully prominent for the first half) is nonexistent. Julianne Moore's performance (which was tantalizing for the first half) becomes histrionic and overplayed (how many times can she yell the f* word with tears flowing?). And, contrary to what the great introduction promised us, the plot does not come together in one marvellous unifying event. Rather, things just sort of drag on until time runs out.

It's not a bad movie. But much like that aforementioned sexual encounter, it just peters out early. Maybe the director should have thrown in a scene about baseball, just to hold back a bit. Know what I mean, guys? Tee hee.
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