Magnolia is a film about nine different people who are faced with regrets. "We may be through with the past, but the past ain't through with us." This is a line in the movie that best describes the plot. Each story consisted of complex situations that somehow correlate with one another. Everyone's lives are attached, yet we the audience don't realize it. At the center of the all the stories is Earl Partidge. Earl is an elderly man dying of cancer. His final wish is to communicate with his lost son, Frank Machey. Earl is taken care of by Phil Parma, his at-home nurse. Phil is a devoted hospice nurse who shares a strong interpersonal bond with his patient. In one of the conversations between Earl and Phil, Earl mentions his son. After much prying, Phil manages to get Earl to explain some of the details pertaining to his estranged son. Mr. Partridge explains to Phil that he hasn't spoke to his son in many years, and as a dying wish would like to speak with him before passin!
             g on. Phil recognized the dying man's wish and he does everything in his power to try and make it happen. Phil's caring and compassion is exemplified by the process he goes about to contact Earl's son. Frank (the son) is a guru in the art of female seduction, who has found success in television and seminars demonstrating his tactics in the seduction process. Phil uses an advertisement from a porno magazine to begin the process of contacting Earl's son; his efforts fall one person short of actually speaking with Frank when the angry and frustrated son hangs up before his secretary can connect to the two. Frank is hesitant about confronting his father. Mr. Partridge made horrible decisions throughout his life, especially in the area of marital relationships and raising his son. Frank holds a great deal of anger and bitterness toward Earl. Earl left his wife and Frank when Frank was 14 years old; his wife had can...