Boogie Nights reviews (1997)

Boogie Nights

1997

Overall rating: 3.5 out of 5

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While set within the milieu of the Los Angeles adult film industry, Boogie Nights is less a film about pornography than the serio-comic story of a group of misfits, losers, and lost souls who are embraced by Jack Horner (Burt Reynolds), a director who makes adult films, exotic motion pictures. In 1977, while hanging out at a disco, Jack spots Eddie (Mark Wahlberg), the new busboy at the club, and tells him he's convinced there's something wonderful inside those jeans waiting to get out. Jack knows his business well and his expert eye has not betrayed him; Eddie is a pornographer's dream -- good looking, remarkably endowed, and willing and able to do as many takes as might be needed. The product of a woefully dysfunctional upbringing, Eddie is not terribly bright but is very ambitious and eager to prove he has a special something to share with the world. Eddie changes his name to Dirk Diggler and quickly becomes the biggest star in hardcore. Working alongside Dirk in Jack's films are Amber Waves (Julianne Moore), a porn actress who applies her misplaced maternal instincts to anyone who needs nurturing; Rollergirl (Heather Graham), a cheerful but blank-faced high school drop-out who never removes her roller skates; Reed Rothchild (John C. Reilly), a none-too-bright actor, aspiring magician, and failing songwriter; Buck (Don Cheadle), a black actor fascinated with cowboy iconography who wants to open a stereo shop; Scotty J (Philip Seymour Hoffman), a stocky and awkward soundman infatuated with Dirk; Little Bill (William H. Macy), Jack's assistant director, who has trouble dealing with his wife's brazen infidelity; and Colonel James (Robert Ridgely), Jack's backer, who has a weakness for young girls. In the brief, late-'70s moment when porn was chic and sex films seemed poised to break into the mainstream, Dirk becomes a star and Jack a respected name. But a few years later, drugs and pride have taken their toll on Dirk and many of his friends, while the advent of the VCR radically changes the adult movie business; Jack goes from being a filmmaker to manufacturing and wholesaling videocassettes, a wealthy but emotionally broken man. In his second film, wunderkind director Paul Thomas Anderson juggled a broad range of characters in a manner reminiscent of Robert Altman's ensemble films, making Boogie Nights a sad but funny story of a makeshift family of damaged people and what happens before and after their brief moment in the sun.~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

Boogie Nights details

Formats:	18 DVD, Blu-ray
Starring:	Thomas Jane, William H. Macy, Tony Te, John C. Reilly, Veronica Hart, John Doe, Ricky Jay, Mark Wahlberg, Joanna Gleason, Don Cheadle, Laurel Holloman, Burt Reynolds, Alfred Molina, Heather Graham, Luis Guzman, Jack Wallace, Julianne Moore
Director:	Paul Thomas Anderson
Genres:	Comedy - Crime, Drama - Crime
Studio:	WARNER HOME VIDEO
Collections:	Award Winners & Nominees

Name	Discs
Boogie Nights	18 Feature

DVD Information

Run time:	2 hours 29 minutes
Rental release:	21 May 1999
Main languages:	English
Subtitles:	English

Name	Discs
Boogie Nights	18 Feature

Blu-ray Information

Run time:	2 hours 36 minutes
Rental release:	21 Jun 2010
Main languages:	English

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Most helpful review Boogie Nights

Boogie On!

By AlistairD from Lancashire , 04 Dec 2004

[Highly rated reviewer]

It must be hard to make a film about the porn industry, without making porn itself... but this film suceeded. Yes, this is a film for adults, and will probably appeal more to those approaching their 40's.

A hard look at something almost all of us have had at least a little contact with at some time or another :-) - covering the era when porn was going from film to video. Good performances all round, a good storyline and some interesting subplots.

One critisism - the characters didn't seem to age with the movie... but I'm being pedantic there... excellent film.
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Porno or bust!

By a customer , 03 Apr 2013

THIS REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS Show review anywayHide

the fact that wahlberg was meant to be 17 yet looked 25 was a little disapointing but other than that he did great, burt reynolds was the perfect man to cast as a porn director, the old stud. and that little, BIG bit at the end when wahlberg lobs his junk out came as abit of a suprise, overall god movie! 4stars!
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ELO to finish

By Fugazi (35 reviews) from Hitchin , 01 Mar 2013

Now there's nearly 3 hours of my life that I won't get back! The only redeeming features were the ever gorgeous Julianne Moore and the great soundtrack!
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Heading towards classic status...

By Stupert (1 review) , 26 Apr 2012

THIS REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS Show review anywayHide

I loved this film when it came out and it has held up remarkably well, It beautifully conveys the awkwardness and fragility underpinning the lives of its central characters. The soundtrack is an essential part of the script, weaving beautifully between the scenery and dialogue. It's chock-full too of classic lines that never fail to raise a smile.

Bad points? The ending is rather cheesy (if well done) and Mark Wahlberg's performance convinced far too many people that he could act.
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I thought it was complete pants.

By danielyuki (3 reviews) from Hackney, London , 28 Aug 2011

Really poor. The costumes were bad (looked like people trying to do 70's fancy dress. Script was terrible. Acting was wooden.

If they'd done everything a bit more over the top it could have been a classic. Very little innuendo or playfulness.

Waste of time.
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Boogie Nights - Dy-No-Mite...

By southside (15 reviews) , 29 Jul 2011

Although I wouldnt describe this film as iconic, I can remember it was definitely one of the talking points of the late nineties. Funny, entertaining, but with a dark edge, Boogie Nights perfectly captures the Rise and fall of the porn industry from the highs of the 70's to the lows of the 80's. Although most people talk about Mark Wahlbergs performance, the stand out acting in this film is from Julianne Moore. She put her reputation on the line with this one and it paid off. The only major downside to this film is during the filming of the early 80's period. The focus spilts into too many sub-plots (Walbergs addiction, Moores custody battle,Cheadle trying to set up a business, Reynolds frustration at the industrys move to vhs), and for 30 minutes all the darting back and forth between sub plots slows the film down a little. But overal this is still one of the best films on the 90's and is highly recommended.
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