Reviews Written by Frankie

Boogie Nights

Pros: Great acting and a plot

Cons: Not the HD DVD quality

During the history of the adult industry that porn films showed signs of artistic ambition. During the late '70s, a small cadre of adult directors believed that they could combine the raunch of sex with an involving plot. It was a lofty goal, and one that ultimately proved impossible to realize, especially with the advent of video forcing movies to be made cheaper and faster. In his new film, Boogie Nights, director Paul Thomas Anderson takes us back to the disco era, and, by following a small group of characters, recreates the rise and fall of "artistic porn" and those who participated in it.

But Boogie Nights isn't just an expose of the porn industry - it's a provocative and involving character study, as well. While it could be argued that Anderson has bitten off more than he can chew -- a few too many of the men and women populating his film are left half-developed - an overambitious approach is always preferable to the alternative, and Boogie Nights does enough things right that it's easy to overlook its few shortcomings.

One of the movie's greatest, and most immediately obvious, assets is its ability to capture the feel and mood of the late '70s and early '80s. At different times throughout the film, Anderson uses long, single takes where the camera pans from one character to another, putting the viewer in the midst of a swirl of activity. The director also has a talent for picking just the right songs for each scene, making the soundtrack an integral part of the movie rather than just a jumbled collection of old disco hits. Add to that the hairdos, clothing, decor, and attitudes of the era, and you have an effective re-creation of recent history. And, unlike The Ice Storm, which transpires in '70s suburbia, Boogie Nights is set in the sleazy heart of Los Angeles' drug-and-sex industry.

Anderson also does a wonderful job of delineating the differences between the late '70s and the early '80s. The first half of the film, which takes place between 1977 and late 1979, is lively and energetic, with the focus on parties and good times. Then, following a pivotal sequence at a 1979/80 New Year's Eve gathering, Boogie Nights' tone shifts to something more grim and contentious. The porn industry goes into a downward spiral with mass-market video supplanting carefully-made movies, and the actors and directors are sucked down with it. Drugs and death run rampant. No one dies during the movie's first half (although there is a drug overdose), but the final hour features a body count.

At Boogie Nights' center is Eddie Adams (Mark Wahlberg), a waiter at a San Fernando Valley night club who is "discovered" by idealistic porn movie producer/director Jack Horner (Burt Reynolds). Jack's dream is to make a movie that is "true, and right, and dramatic," and his vision excites Eddie, who changes his name to Dirk Diggler and quickly becomes the hottest young stud in the industry. Together, the director and his star seek to elevate the Adult Film to the next level (which actually resembles a cheap exploitation action flick).

Dirk isn't the only one under Jack's wing. His home has become the gathering place for all sorts of damaged souls working in the business. There's Amber Waves (Julianne Moore), a top female star who has lost custody of her son because of her involvement with Jack. Rollergirl (Heather Graham) is an airheaded young starlet who drops out of high school to be in the movies. Buck Swope (Don Cheadle) is one of Jack's veterans, but his dream is to have a wife, a family, and his own hi-fi equipment store. Reed Rothchild (John C. Reilly) is a hanger-on who becomes close friends with Dirk. And Little Bill (William H. Macy) is a behind-the-scenes worker who never feels comfortable with the kind of movies that he's involved in. His resolution to this dilemma leads to Boogie Nights' change of direction ...