The Most Un-Anderson film in his canon

He definitely wears his influences on his sleeve in this one. I think Magnolia and Boogie Nights are his nods to Robert Altman and Martin Scorsese. Altman more in the linear way of his story telling different stories during a film and Scorsese with the fast cutting, camera moving all the time. Nothing wrong with that at all, but it's not until Punch Drunk Love when Paul Thomas Anderson starts to stamp his own mark onto the cinema landscape. You can't tell his influences after that.

Still a fantastic film this though, I'm shocked it's only 7.9 on IMDB. It's definitely deserves a place in the 8's. Best thing Reynolds, Wahlberg and Graham have done. Julianne Moore is excellent and heartbreaking in this, I can't decide if this or Magnolia is her best performance for Anderson. Anderson regulars like C.Reilly and Seymour Hoffman deliver the goods. I also love how the first half of the film is all laughs and fun and the second half is all downhill.

Paul Thomas Anderson first Masterpiece imo.