Review of Boogie Nights (1997) by George-Roots — 24 Jun 2013

Something of a Number 1 Favourite Movie of all time for lots of people, "Boogie Nights" is a Film that didn't impress me to that extent, however I still really enjoyed what it is and see why so many people liked it.

Mark Whalberg plays Eddie Adams, a late teen who washing dishes for a living and bearing the weight of his over-protective mother, one day he is approached by Jack Horner (Played by Burt Reynolds) a Pornographic Film-maker who introduces him to the many others he has taken under his wing.

Among them are Amber Waves (Julianne Moore) a Porn Actress longing to see her kids who are in her ex-husbands custody, Rollergirl (Heather Graham) a teenage Porn Actress constanly in rollerblades and fleeing tormentors at school, Reed Rothchild (John C. Riley) a Porn Actor with a unique taste in Magic, Buck Swope (Don Cheadle) a Porn Actor who is extremely knowledgable on stereo systems and is keen to run a buisness based on them, Scotty J. (Phillip Seymour Hoffman) a Gay boom operator who immediately falls for Eddie, "Little" Bill Thompson (William H. Macy) whose wife (real-life porn Actress Nina Hartley) constanly embarasses him by having sex with other men in movies and public, them and many other colourful characters.

Eddie becomes acquainted to all of these quirky, likable characters and joins the industry under the name "he sees in bright, blue neon lights" Dirk Diggler, And becomes the industries hottest thing.

Eventually Drugs kick in, the 80's is approaching and everyone goes there seperate ways, Dirk hits rock-bottom countless times, Bill shoots his wife them himself, Julianne Moore fails again to legally see her kids, Buck fails to get a loan. in a nutshell everything get's to their individual heads and ultimately it destroys them.

Eventually though everything works out, in both unhappy and happy ways, Dirk reconciles with Jack, Rollergirl continues education, Buck uses stolen money to fund his buisness and aid his pregnant wife, Reed becomes a magician in a Nightclub. Essentially everything is back uder Jack Horner's control.

Paul Thomas Anderson has made a film that is not solely based on Pornography, but based around the Actors and behind the scenes of it all, inspired by watching 70's porn flicks and enjoying the cheesy stories and setups which would eventually be missing from the 80's ones. he wrote "The Dirk Diggler story" a 30 min tribute flick about a fictional porn star.

Obviously sometime later he managed to build this wonderpiece around that original idea.

Boogie Nights is an Essential PTA movie, everything he does has always had character development in mind, and in all honesty with this film he's not asking you to engage the characters or Pornography, but rather watch and identify the individualism of the real people behing the fictional Camera.

Aside from that everyone is wonderful, Burt Reynolds steals the show as the always laid back director, Mark Wahlberg's insecurities give him alot to work with and he does well,.

Everyone in their own right in this movie, actors and characters are all perfect.

Final Verdict: Sit down and Enjoy, Great casting, An Excellent screenplay, Sharp directing and of course one of the 90's best hits.