I do not understand the general public's expectation of film. Many people seem to want something familiar, not leaving their room of experience, therefore understandable and by god it better have closure and that closure better make sense. My definition of film has always lived on the other side of the protractor. Take me for a ride, show me something I've never seen, challenge my neurons, etc. Magnolia took my passion to heart and then opted to get zany.

In addition to challenging vanilla-viewers plot-wise expectations, magnolia does not conform to the 90 to 120 minute format. It views kind of like bill murray's groundhog day but groundhog spans an hour and twenty minutes while magnolia eats up a staggering three hours and eight minutes. Difference is one watches like a bad date and the other like a too-long vacation (Yeah, sucks to be you).

After seeing this film I'm still not entirely sure what it's about or what its purpose was, but I absolutely feel like I've realistically viewed lives that I otherwise would not have. It was beautifully acted, dementedly inspired and concisely organized into one fluid work. However, do not misinterpret me, I'm certain most of the free world would absolutely detest cruise and company. And given this, I would refer only a handful of people to its door. As a final note, I'd pay tall money to see a collaboration between magnolia's P.T. Anderson and the Wachowski brothers, of matrix fame. I think theaters would have to post medical staff at the exits.