History YMMV / Magnolia

* TrueArtIsAngsty: To an almost absurd degree.
* TheWoobie[=/=]JerkassWoobie: Every character except for [[{{Jerkass}} Rick Spector]] qualifies as either one of these two tropes, even [[spoiler: Jimmy Gator, the man who quite possibly molested his daughter]] evokes sympathy because of how sad and pitiful he is.

* DarknessInducedAudienceApathy: The rather self-centered behavior displayed by many characters in the cast, made it hard for some viewers to sympathize with them.

** The film wasn't nominated for Best Picture or Best Director.

* HarsherInHindsight: Jason Robards' character in the film suffers from terminal brain and lung cancer. Robards coincidentally died of lung cancer a year after the film was released.

* AwardSnub: One in particular. "Save Me" losing the Oscar for Best Song to Music/PhilCollins.

* BillingDisplacement: Where's Creator/AlfredMolina? Oh, there he is. In one scene early on in the film. Despite of this, he is even credited above Melora Walters.

* HarsherInHindsight: Jason Robards's character in the film suffers from terminal brain and lung cancer. Robards coincidentally died of lung cancer a year after the film was released.

* ProtectionFromEditors: Anderson got this after the success of ''Film/BoogieNights''. He made ''Magnolia'', an ambitious project, because he felt he might never get the chance again.

* SugarWiki/AwesomeMusic: [[CrowdSong "Wise Up"]]. Other songs worth of mention are "One", "Save Me" (The closing credits songs) and "Momentum", all of them composed by Aimee Mann. Even the reviewers who dislike the movie tend to praise its soundtrack.

* DarknessInducedAudienceApathy: The rather self centered behavior displayed by many characters in the cast, made it hard for some viewers to sympathize with them.
** With the exception of Off. Jim Kurring, who’s quite possibly the one genuinely good character in the film.
*** Don't forget hospice nurse Phil Parma.

* SugarWiki/AwesomeMusic[=/=]{{Narm}}: [[CrowdSong "Wise Up"]].

* SugarWiki/HeartwarmingMoments: "I can't let this go. I can't let you go. Now, you... you listen to me now.
[[YouAreBetterThanYouThinkYouAre You're a good person. You're a good and beautiful person and I won't let you walk out on me. And I won't let you say those things - those things about how stupid you are and this and that.]] I won't stand for that. You want to be with me... then you be with me. You see?"

* SugarWiki/HeartwarmingMoments: "I can't let this go. I can't let you go. Now, you... you listen to me now. [[YouAreBetterThanYouThinkYouAre You're a good person. You're a good and beautiful person and I won't let you walk out on me. And I won't let you say those things - those things about how stupid you are and this and that.]] I won't stand for that. You want to be with me... then you be with me. You see?"

* TheWoobie[=/=]JerkassWoobie: Every character except for [[JerkAss Rick Spector]] qualifies as either one of these two tropes, even [[spoiler: Jimmy Gator, the man who quite possibly molested his daughter]] evokes sympathy because of how sad and pitiful he is.

* CrowningMusicOfAwesome[=/=]{{Narm}}: [[CrowdSong "Wise Up"]].

** With the exception of Off. Jim Kurring, whose quite possibly the one genuinely good character in the film.

* FridgeHorror: The suggestion that [[spoiler:Jimmy Gator molested his daughter]] is horrifying. It's even more horrifying when you remember [[spoiler:his job involves working directly with children.]]

* AwardSnub: One in particular. "Save Me" losing the Oscar for Best Song to Phil Collins.
** Many cite this film as having the performance of Tom Cruise's career, and would say that he deserved the Oscar over Michael Caine for ''Film/TheCiderHouseRules''.
* BillingDisplacement: Where's Alfred Molina? Oh, there he is. In one scene early on in the film. Despite of this, he is even credited above Melora Walters.
* CrowningMusicOfAwesome / {{Narm}}: [[CrowdSong "Wise Up"]]

* TheWoobie/ JerkassWoobie: Every character except for [[JerkAss Rick Spector]] qualifies as either one of these two tropes, even [[spoiler: Jimmy Gator, the man who quite possibly molested his daughter]] evokes sympathy because of how sad and pitiful he is.

* ProtectionFromEditors: Anderson got this after the success of ''BoogieNights''. He made ''Magnolia'', an ambitious project, because he felt he might never get the chance again.