Review of Boogie Nights (1997) by Justin J — 18 May 2012

Boogie Nights.

Set against the backdrop of late 1970's L.A., Boogie Nights tells the rise and fall of Eddie Adams, played by the young Mark Wahlberg, as he enters the business of adult film. Discovered one night as he is busing tables by film maker Jack Warner, played in a comeback role by Burt Reynolds, Eddie is whisked off and thrown into the world of adult films. The film features a number of supporting players, including Philip Seymour Hoffman, Don Cheadle, Julianne Moore, William H. Macy, Heather Graham, John C. Reilly, and Thomas Jane, all have a role in the industry and many have a side story that we get involved in.

But it's Wahlberg, in his first of what I like to call his "coming of age films" with films like Rock Star, Invincible, and the Fighter, and Reynolds who rule the film here. Wahlberg's character, who changes his name to Dirk Diggler, to better fit the industries tradition of unusual names, shines as the young man caught up in the excitement, but then who sinks so low so fast. And Reynolds does fine as he follows a similar path. He makes great films, but as soon as the VHS is introduced, he is reduced to selling girls almost on the street.

Now since this is a film about adult films, you have to expect a fair amount of nudity, even a surprise final scene of male nudity. There's also drug use and even a few murders.

Now I think that's it is interesting to note how everything turns sour once the film goes into the 1980's. New Year's night even, a very dark occurrence happens and you just know that everyone is just gonna turn ugly, and ugly it turns. And since the film tries to parallel the life of real life 1970's adult film star John Holmes, you can tell that the film may not end so nicely for Diggler, he is even involved in a drug deal gone back much like Holmes.

My only problem with the film is that is that it may end to abruptly for some. It's a good film, but everything is turned around and wrapped up within the last five minutes, but that really is my only complaint.

3.5/5 B+.