The episode argues that Magnolia is a huge, messy, very ambitious movie that is often frustrating, too long, and overloaded, but still has many brilliant scenes and a career-defining Tom Cruise performance. The hosts admire its emotional rawness, its San Fernando Valley specificity, its music, and its swing-for-the-fences filmmaking, while debating which characters and scenes should have been cut.
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01Tom Cruise's Frank T.J. Mackey performance is treated as the central rewatchable draw, especially his breakdown scene with Jason Robards. About 16 min
02The film's most striking scenes are individually memorable even if the whole movie feels overlong. About 32 min
03Amy Mann's soundtrack and the musical construction of the film still work strongly. About 24 min
04The movie's emotional material about regret, death, and unfinished business hits harder on rewatch with age. About 8 min
05The San Fernando Valley setting and specific L.A. interiors give the film a strong sense of place. About 16 min · medium confidence
WHAT DID NOT WORK
Their main criticisms
majorThe movie is too long and feels like two movies, with scenes cut away before they fully play out. About 8 min
moderateJohn C. Reilly's character is played too dumb, making his storyline drag. About 32 min
majorJulianne Moore's performance is too dialed up and often feels absurd rather than believable. About 32 min
minorThe movie's frog-rain and other symbolic flourishes can feel like overstuffed easter eggs or excess. About 24 min · medium confidence
minorSome plot logic, especially around the pharmacy scene and the quiz-show bathroom moment, does not quite work. About 56 min
SCENES THEY KEPT COMING BACK TO
Standout moments
Favorite
Frank T.J. Mackey's grand entrance
Cruise storms into the movie with seduce-and-destroy energy and immediate charisma.
About 24 min Favorite
Cruise and Robards deathbed scene
Cruise improvises emotional breakdown material and Robards responds with a raw, dying performance.
About 8 min Favorite
Julianne Moore's pharmacy meltdown
A huge, unhinged public breakdown that the hosts find both memorable and excessive.
About 16 min Favorite
Stanley in the game show bathroom crisis
The quiz-kid bathroom scene is singled out as a funny and tense set piece.
About 32 min Favorite
The frog downpour
The climactic frog rain is treated as the movie's wildest and most famous image.
About 56 min positive
Wise Up sing-along
The ensemble music sequence is remembered as novel and effective, even if later imitators have dulled it.
About 48 min · medium confidence
WHERE THEY DISAGREED
The biggest debates
They partly agreed About 32 min
Which material should have been cut from the movie
Bill Simmons
Would cut John C. Reilly's storyline the most, and maybe Julianne Moore's as well.
Chris Ryan
Sees the film's sprawl as part of the point, though he agrees it is too long.
They agreed About 1:04
Whether the frog rain works
Bill Simmons
Initially skeptical but increasingly persuaded by the thematic argument.
Chris Ryan
Defends it as a bold expression of life's randomness and a thematic payoff.
They partly agreed About 32 min
Whether Julianne Moore's performance is effective
Bill Simmons
Thinks it is too much and does not make sense psychologically or logistically.
Chris Ryan
Thinks it is a specific, acquired-taste performance that works for the character.
They agreed About 56 min
Could Magnolia work better as a limited series
Bill Simmons
Yes, a 10-episode version would be better.
Chris Ryan
Agrees in principle that the character material could breathe more in a series format.
19 People discussedActors, directors, writers, and producers
