Film Critic
Top 10 porno flicks to slip into the VCR
Wild. Incredible. Laughable. Depressing.
It's difficult to find just one word (let alone four or five) to describe "Boogie Nights."
Director-producer Paul Thomas Anderson follows up his critically acclaimed (and yet to play in Lincoln) "Hard Eight" with this hard look at the adult film industry in the 1970s and early 1980s.
Mark Wahlberg ("Fear") plays Eddie Adams, a young kid discovered by adult film director Jack Horner (Burt Reynolds). Horner sees a bankable innocence in Eddie, and it turns out Eddie has a jumbo, economy-sized "asset" of his own that would only make his chances of success bigger. He also can get it up, in, on and off with the timing and precision of a Swiss watch.
Eddie is drawn into the world of adult films, populated by such characters as the maternal Amber Waves (Julianne Moore), fast-talking Buck Swope (Don Cheadle) and fellow soft-spoken performer Reed Rothchild (John C. Reilly). Eddie also changes his name to the more alliterative "Dirk Diggler."
Together, they're not just a bunch of film people. They're a family.
Up to this point of "Boogie Nights," the laughs and giggles are aplenty: The adult film dialogue that would make even Steven Seagal look like a master thespian, the fashions of the '70s and reactions to Dirk's "purple- headed warrior" bring plenty of giggles and snickers from the audience.
Then the giggles stop.
A harsh reality waits to slap this family in the face, and it comes from all directions. The switch from film to video is a vicious blow to Horner, who has always wanted to make a serious adult film; Amber is trying to get visitation rights back to see her son; and Dirk is quickly sliding downhill from an overdose of fame and cocaine.
The performances in this film are above average straight across the board. Unfortunately, too little time is spent on the characters of Little Bill (Oscar winner William H. Macy) and Buck Swope, who have rather important tales to tell. The entire character of Little Bill is wasted, and Buck Swope needed much more development in the beginning of the film.
Cheadle adds an interesting charisma to his performances (previously seen in "Volcano" and "Rosewood"), but isn't given a chance to shine in this film.
Cinematically, this film is downright fantastic. The camerawork and cinematography is hypnotic and is worth the price of admission alone.
Now, boys and girls, "Boogie Nights" has not - I repeat, NOT - been given an "R" rating just for good looks. This movie is very in-your-face with the adult film industry, leaving very little to the imagination, even a girth-y gaze at Dirk Diggler's lengthy loins. To make a long story short, LEAVE THE KIDS AT HOME!
"Boogie Nights." An incredible film, yes. A film to show Aunt Rose and her bridge club, no.
