This seems like the type of movie that has 2 camps on it - those that loved it and those that hated it. Waht mood were you in when watching it? Was the length of the movie a factor for you or was time not of the essence? Was the story so winding that you did not get a chance to appreciate and get to know the characters? These are all valid circumstances that could affect your position on the movie. So I rented 'Magnolia', sat down and dedicated myself to it for 3 hours and absolutely loved the movie. After watching it, I wondered if it was the best movie that I have ever seen. Very well could be, but that is a big decision to make after only having seen it a couple of nights ago. The acting performances were unbelievably realistic, honest and moving. Yep, even Tom Cruise was terrific in the movie. Stroy line twisted and turned until you found yourself back at the beginning. So yeah, I watched the movie and loved it. I would have recommended it to anyone that I thought could habdle it. Kept thinking about it the next day and wondered if it was really so great. So I sat down and watched it again the following night.One of the best movies I have ever seen.