BOOGIE NIGHTS (1997) - ♦♦♦♦♦
Directed by - Paul Thomas Anderson
Written by - Paul Thomas Anderson
Starring - Mark Whalberg, Julianne Moore, Burt Reynolds, Don Cheadle, John C. Reilly, William H. Macy, Heather Graham
"Boogie Nights marked a significant breakthrough in the career of Paul Thomas Anderson, and given the complexity of his eclectic vision, it is remarkable how he managed to keep it together, but not so surprising when taking into consideration the amazing works which he would release from then on, that would establish him as one of the most remarkable filmmakers of his time.
The film takes place during the Golden Age of Porn, in Los Angeles from the late seventies to the mid eighties. In a sex and drugs fuelled and utopian microcosm, porn director Jack Horner discovers a hidden talent in a waiter whom he re-invents as Dirk Diggler. Dirk becomes the poster boy of the industry, a John Holmes type figure, and we follow his rise and fall, which is parallel to the a significant revolution that would change the porn film industry forever.
While Dirk is somewhat of a central figure in Boogie Nights, the many subplots and supporting character development are given such careful attention that the whole film feels like an incredibly gripping melodramatic rollercoaster ride from start to finish - unstoppable and forsaken. Having said that, the use of comedy, satire and quirk is equally as essential to the success of the piece, and adds to the significance of its urgency and pathos.
It is a triumph of colour and decadence, from the vibrant art direction and costume to the meticulous complexity of the camera movements without forgetting the dynamic soundtrack that adds glamour and a popular time-stamp. Anderson's post-modernism seems to be openly influenced by the works of the likes of Altman and Scorsese.
The film's sexuality is mature and psychologically enrichened, flirting simultaneously with Freud and Jung, at once offering an appalled and disenchanted look but also giving into the lure of its irresistible lust.
Furthermore, the cast is composed by some excellent names, all of whom make the characters their own, from Burt Reynold's interpretation of Jack Horner, to Julianne Moore, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Don Cheadle and John C. Reilly. All of them seem to encapsulate a certain aspect of the spirit of the times, with their outrageousness and flamboyance, but also their sensibilities and vulnerabilities. And while Boogie Nights was the breakthrough film of Paul Thomas Anderson, the same can be said about Mark Whalberg, then a youth who achieved instant credibility in the role of Diggler, iconic, charismatic and deeply troubled."
Drama, USA
