History Film / Magnolia

* WrongGenreSavy: Judging from the way Jim narrates to himself, he seems to believe that he is on a reality cop TV-show ala ''Series/COPS''.

A 1999 drama film about dysfunctional people in Los Angeles, with LoadsAndLoadsOfCharacters (as the page quote illustrates), written and directed by Creator/PaulThomasAnderson (''BoogieNights'', ''Film/ThereWillBeBlood'') and partly inspired by the songs of Aimee Mann. Told in a series of [[HyperlinkStory interlocking stories]]. Known for being over three hours long, and for [[GainaxEnding possibly the most non-sequitur third-act twist of all time]], as well as for getting an Oscar Nomination for Creator/TomCruise.

** Jimmy Gator quite likely [[spoiler:molested his daughter Claudia.]]
*** It's hard to say with certainty. [[spoiler: She's a drug addict, which could be her response to such an event, or warped her memory into believing it. When confronted, however, his only reply is an apparently sincere claim that he doesn't remember, which is frightening on its own. Also noted is his invasion of her bedroom earlier in the movie. This gives the sense that he is dismissive of personal space and thinks himself entitled to his daughter's time at the drop of a hat even though he knows of his status as a possibly-still-dangerous abuser in her mind.]]

** Also, contains a subversion with the line "And the book says, we may be through with the past, but the past ain't through with us," spoken by multiple characters. The book in question is not the Bible, but ''The Natural History of Nonsense'' a 1946 anti-superstition book by English professor and game-show host Dr. Bergen Evans.
*** When first we see Stanley in the library simultaneously contemplating multiple books, ''The Natural History of Nonsense'' is among them; it is in the center-right, and has a blue cover. (Perhaps on the big screen--or in HD--the book's appearance is not as difficult to discern.)

* ClusterFBomb: Most of the film's characters could fall under this trope (Good examples are Marcy and Claudia's beginning scenes).
** However, none of them can seem to reach the extent that Linda Partridge does with this trope. She says the word "fuck" in virtually every scene she's in, and it's usually never uttered just once.

* DeusExMachina: [[spoiler: The plague of frogs]]. Is also WeatherDissonance.

* HeManWomanHater: Frank T.J. Mackey. [[CatchPhrase "Respect… the cock! Tame… the cunt!"]]
** [[spoiler: Eventually revealed to be something of a subversion. Mackey's real hatred is for his father (and himself, in that he loves and leaves them just as his father did), and part of the reason he treats women poorly is because he can't stand the thought of getting close enough to one that he'd love them the way he loved his mother.]]
* HyperlinkStory: All the characters link together in one way or another. The end credits to "What Do Kids Know" reveals that Earl Partridge is the producer of the show.

* LeaningOnTheFourthWall: See ThisIsThePartWhere below.
* LoadsAndLoadsOfCharacters: 10 main characters and numerous others.

* RapeAsDrama / [[spoiler:ParentalIncest]]: [[spoiler:Claudia Gator's backstory (possibly; see above).]]

* ThisIsThePartWhere: Possibly one of the most [[TearJerker tear-jerking examples ever.]]
--> '''Phil''': I know this sounds silly, and I know that I might sound ridiculous...like this is the scene of the movie...where the guy is trying to get a hold of the long-lost son, y'know, but this is that scene. This is that scene. And I think they have those scenes in movies because they're true. Y'know, because they really happen. And you gotta believe me, this is really happening. I mean, I can give you my number and you can go check with whoever you gotta check with and call me back. But do not leave me hanging on this. Please. I'm just -- please. See...this is the scene of the movie where you help me out.
** Ties in neatly with our own TropesAreTools article.

* AsTheGoodBookSays: The ArcNumbers 8 and 2 appear throughout the film. They refer to Exodus 8:2, in which God calls the plague of frogs against Egypt. [[spoiler:The film climaxes with just such a plague falling over Los Angeles]].

* SenseiForScoundrels: Frank T.J. Mackey.
* ShoutOut: Several lines are quoted or paraphrased lyrics from AimeeMann songs, the most obvious being the opening line of "Deathly":
--> '''Claudia Gator:''' Now that I've met you, would you object to never seeing me again?

* HyperlinkStory

!!!''Tropes include:''

* TheDanza: Luis Guzman has a role as a contestant on "What Do Kids Know?" named Luis Guzman.
* DeletedScene / WhatHappenedToTheMouse: We never really find out what was going on with the dead guy in the closet, or what the boy's confusing rap monologue ("I just told you who did it!") is about, or who "The Worm" is. In fact The Worm, played by Orlando Jones, is the boy's father, and the murderer. All his scenes were cut from the film, and he appears only as the mysterious hooded pedestrian Officer Jim chases before Jim loses his gun.
** Especially notable in that this is a rare deleted scene that's not available on any DVD release.

* HeyItsThatGuy: PattonOswalt is the Vegas croupier in the prologue.
** Rick Spector is [[KillBill Buck, and he likes to fuck.]]
** [[TheAvengers Agent Coulson]] is one of the "What Do Kids Know?" floor directors.

* ProductionPosse: Cruise and Robards are the only principal players who did not also appear in Anderson's previous film, ''Boogie Nights''.

* UrbanLegends: No, the three anecdotes that open the movie are not true stories.
** The last anecdote, about the man shot while jumping off the roof of a building, was also used in ''HomicideLifeOnTheStreet'', and is also apparently used as a test case in criminal law classes.
* WhatMightHaveBeen: GeorgeCScott was offered the role of Earl Partridge, but turned it down because the script was, in his words, "..the worst fucking thing I've ever read. [[HypocriticalHumor The language is terrible]]."

* NiceGuy: Jim Kurring.

* JerkAss: Frank T. J. Mackey and Rick Spector.

* WhatMightHaveBeen: GeorgeCScott was offered the role of Earl Partridge, but turned it down because the script was, in his words, "the worst fucking thing I've ever read. [[HypocriticalHumor The language is terrible]]."

* CrowdSong: "Wise Up", which manages to combine this with LonelyPianoPiece, for an effect that depending on your perspective is either CrowningMusicOfAwesome or a total {{Narm}}.

* CrapsackWorld: Los Angeles hasn't been this unforgiving and bleak since ''Film/BladeRunner'' and [[Film/ToLiveAndDieInLA a certain William Friedkin film]].

A 1999 drama film about dysfunctional people in Los Angeles, with LoadsAndLoadsOfCharacters (as the page quote illustrates), written and directed by PaulThomasAnderson (''BoogieNights'', ''Film/ThereWillBeBlood'') and partly inspired by the songs of AimeeMann. Told in a series of [[HyperlinkStory interlocking stories]]. Known for being over three hours long, and for [[GainaxEnding possibly the most non-sequitur third-act twist of all time]], as well as for getting an Oscar Nomination for TomCruise.

* WhatMightHaveBeen: GeorgeCScott was offered the role of Earl Partridge, but turned it down because the script was, in his words, "the worst fucking thing I've ever read. [[HypcriticalHumor The language is terrible]]."

A 1999 drama film about dysfunctional people in Los Angeles, with LoadsAndLoadsOfCharacters (as the page quote illustrates), written and directed by PaulThomasAnderson (''BoogieNights'', ''ThereWillBeBlood'') and partly inspired by the songs of AimeeMann. Told in a series of [[HyperlinkStory interlocking stories]]. Known for being over three hours long, and for [[GainaxEnding possibly the most non-sequitur third-act twist of all time]], as well as for getting an Oscar Nomination for TomCruise.

* CrapsackWorld: Los Angeles hasn't been this unforgiving and bleak since ''{{Blade Runner}}'' and [[ToLiveAndDieInLA a certain William Friedkin film.]]

*** It's hard to say with certainty. [[spoiler: She's a drug addict, which could be her response to such an event, or warped her memory into believing it. When confronted, however, his only reply is an apparently sincere claim that he doesn't remember, which is frightening on its own.]]