Boogie Nights (1997)

Director: Paul Thomas Anderson
Stars: Mark Reynolds, Burt Reynolds, Julianne Moore
Runtime: 155 minutes

Synopsis: The story of a young man's adventures in the California pornography industry of the late 1970s and early 1980s.

Performances: 9/10
Screenplay: 7/10
Editing: 7/10
Cinematography: 9/10
Score/Soundtrack: 9/10
Enjoyment Factor: 7/10

Verdict: When his mother throws him out of their house, another door opens for Eddie Adams. Jack Horner, phenomenally portrayed by Burt Reynolds, convinces him that he holds a gift that could make him a star in the Porn industry in which he is a respected director. Eddie, who changes his name to a more appropriate Dirk Diggler, seizes the opportunity and starts his climb to the top, aided by a crew that slowly turns into his new family.

Taking place from the mid-1970s to the mid-1980s, one thing the movie absolutely nails is its depiction of that era. Authentic production values and a killer soundtrack truly immerse the viewer into a world that is made dynamic thanks to some impressive camera movement. It shouldn't come as a surprise that a Paul Thomas Anderson project is a technical marvel, but "Boogie Nights" may be one of his most stylistic features. However, there is a side of me that wishes that, instead of a feature-length film, this particular story was told using a limited series format due to the overabundance of characters and storylines. Even though there is much to absorb about not only the Porn industry but also Hollywood as a whole, ranging from the growing ego of celebrities to the difficulties faced when adapting to new means of storytelling, I can't help but feel that a lot of it was either rushed or underdeveloped. William H. Macy and Philip Seymour Hoffman's characters best represent that issue as their personas, while being interesting on paper, didn't get the necessary development needed to have the proper impact they deserve.

"Boogie Nights" may not be one of PTA's best works but it's still a very solid and entertaining piece of cinema. It's one of his most accessible films and the one that made him a household name, so I would recommend it to people who aren't very familiar with the director's filmography, but it's not as tight as his more recent projects. If you're interested in checking it out, it's now available on Netflix.

FINAL GRADE: 7/10