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Mark Wahlberg, Burt Reynolds, Julianne Moore, John C. Reilly, Don Cheadle ... see more see more... , Heather Graham , Philip Seymour Hoffman , William H. Macy , Luis Guzman , Alfred Molina , Robert Ridgely , Ricky Jay , Philip Baker Hall , Nina Hartley , Melora Walters , Nicole Ari Parker , Thomas Jane , Laurel Holloman

Set in 1977, back when sex was safe, pleasure was a business and business was booming, idealistic porn producer Jack Horner aspires to elevate his craft to an art form. Horner discovers Eddie Adams, a... read more read more... hot young talent working as a busboy in a nightclub, and welcomes him into the extended family of movie-makers, misfits and hangers-on that are always around. Adams' rise from nobody to a celebrity adult entertainer is meteoric, and soon the whole world seems to know his porn alter ego, "Dirk Diggler." Now, when disco and drugs are in vogue, fashion is in flux and the party never seems to stop, Adams' dreams of turning sex into stardom are about to collide with cold, hard reality. Featuring an amazing, award-winning cast, including Mark Wahlberg ("The Departed," "We Own the Night"), Burt Reynolds ("Deliverance"), John C. Reilly ("Magnolia"), Julianne Moore ("Children of Men"), Philip Seymour Hoffman ("State & Main"), Don Cheadle ("Talk to Me"), William H. Macy ("Bobby"), and many more.

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92% liked it

65 critics

R, 2 hr. 35 min.

Directed by: Paul Thomas Anderson

Release Date: October 17, 1997

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DVD Release Date: April 7, 1998

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Stats: 7,446 reviews

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Flixster Reviews (7,446)

  • FrizzDrop
    May 1, 2013
    FrizzDrop
    This film is huge, in every way possible. There really hadn't been a film so explicit and yet so humane to the porn industry, and though this film is a fictionalized portrayal of the seventies porn industry, many characters are actually based on a lot of accounts of past porn act... read moreors and actresses of that time period. This film is long in runtime, covers seven years in the life of a porn star, and does not coddle the audience into thinking it's about anything else but the true lives of those involved. There is very little on the actual screen that shows sex scenes, nudity, or remains explicit. Instead we watch the varied and extremely depressing lives of the performers in the "Golden Age of Porn". New to the scene, kid Eddie (Wahlberg) is discovered by legendary producer Jack Horner (Reynolds) at a club, where he works, while doing some dastardly deeds in the back room for a couple bucks here and there. Eddie is newly christened Dirk Diggler, and after meeting a slew of other performers of the time, he begins his reign as the king of porn thanks to an enormous conciliatory prize he gained at birth. He gains fame in the small scope of the porn industry, and finds himself spiraling out of control thanks to a newfound addiction to cocaine in the early eighties. Other characters find their allusions of grandeur to be unclean, including Amber Waves (Moore) as a mother trying to reconnect with her son after her divorce, though she is barred thanks to her profession and addiction. Rollergirl (Graham) finds that her new identity does not necessarily negate her past, Buck Swope (Cheadle) can't escape porn's indelible mark, and Little Bill (Macy) is too jealous and grieved to look past his wife's incomparable promiscuity. Jack is the head of this strange family of pornographers, and as their father, and Amber their mother, keeps them in check and looks after them as they break down time and again. Dirk leaves the fold briefly but remains the prodigal son by the end, commoditized thanks to the seediness of their business and dehumanization that occurs in their work. Director and screenwriter Anderson weaves together these narratives easily enough, and doesn't give away that the opulence that the performers experience won't last long, and doesn't speak negatively about them as people. Anderson only wants to relate the hardships and desensitization of performers and the lasting horror many of them go through after their careers end. The fact that many of their stories are taken from the real accounts of Veronica Hart, John Holmes, and John Dough makes it authentic, but doesn't make the film itself any less legitimate and telling of the industry. Every performance lends to that as well, especially Julianne Moore, who mothers the group of actors but herself is not allowed to mother her own son. Her story as well as everyone else's spans a long period of time, and includes scenes that tell even more about the characters: Buck is involved in an accidental three way murder during a robbery, Dirk Diggler is involved in a botched cocaine deal gone bad, and Rollergirl beats down a former high school classmate on the streets of Los Angeles. This tapestry is so complex and yet understandable, and even in the end, it becomes clear that sex is not love, and onscreen it's diluted of feeling even further. This film does not condemn, only looks to understand and appreciate those afflicted with the judgment of those who don't give any chances after you're tainted by pornography, and in doing so gives understanding to its audience.
  • fb733768972
    October 14, 2012
    fb733768972
    "Boogie Nights" is a film that you can very easily become invested in, and I was enthralled for, most of the film. The story of Dirk Diggler going from a bus boy/dish washer to a famous porn star was a great story to watch, and it was written wonderfully well, but there are some ... read moreportions of the film when I felt like they were trying too hard, because it started to drag on a bit, showing too much porn scenes, and I know that was the point of the film, but the end of the film suggests otherwise. I just wish the contrast of porn and drugs was a little more balanced out. The film is impeccably shot and the acting is terrific. I highly enjoyed watching "Boogie Nights," and even though it is definitely not a film for everyone, a film fan will be drooling over the images and how well it is shot. Great film!
  • fb100002359227440
    September 5, 2012
    fb100002359227440
    Boogie Nights presents a criative screenplay with a powerful representation of Golden Years of Porn in the 70's. P.T. Anderson's direction, just like the actings make this classic in a interesting study of the other side of movie pictures, the stories of the people behind and in ... read morefront the camera. With a mix of Pulp Fiction, Boogie Nights is one of the best films of the 90's.
  • ironclad1609
    July 18, 2012
    ironclad1609
    Director P.T. Anderson's close, unaltered look at late 70s porn industry is a cinematic grab bag: a terrific cast, flawless direction, great and fitting soundtrack and costumes take you right back to the early stages of an industry that took itself a little too seriously. While t... read morehe first half of the film is mostly amusing in a showing a couple of character's attempts to become super stars, the second part of the film follows them further down the spiral as their dreams get shattered and, like so often, drugs ruin everything. The result is ugly, naughty, funny, realistic and violent. Even though the film is two and a half hours long, consists of several long party sequences and combines a lot of characters, it never fails in its attempt to portray their miserable lives realistically. Even though we laugh and shake our heads at some of their lousy decisions, we still wish them well. And the very last scene is so surprising and blunt, the film leaves you with your jaw on the floor.
  • fb619846742
    July 2, 2012
    fb619846742
    A well-done if slightly derivative "Goodfellas"-esque take on the porn industry during its heyday and a young, naive man (Mark Wahlberg) with a special "talent" who goes from waiter to star after being plucked by a wealthy titan (Burt Reynolds) of the business. This movie is over... read more-rated a tad, but it is still a really, really well done piece of work that gets better and better with repeat viewings. Not only is it a serious, saddening take on those involved in the industry who wreck their lives seemingly without trying, it is also a successful satire on whose dark sense of humor is much needed to a film full of such despair, loneliness, and depravity. It does suffer from over-population from a character standpoint (especially William H. Macy in a thankless, pointless role that does not utilize his talents properly), but its ability to possess a certain sweetness is a phenomenal feat for director Paul Thomas Anderson (the next Kubrick? We shall see...) to pull off. It has style, laughs, a riveting lead performance from Wahlberg, some excellent supporting turns, memorable scenes (hello Alfred Molina cameo!), and an ending that doesn't leave you as depressed as many of its characters become. Not a film for everyone, certainly a graphic portrayal of a seedy business, but still a fascinating take on those involved in it.
  • MrMarakai
    June 27, 2012
    MrMarakai
    Director Paul Thomas Anderson made his debut in 1996 with âHard Eightâ? but it was with this film, a year later, that he exploded onto the film scene and raised a few eyebrows with this daring and mainstream film about the californian porn industry.
    Eddie Adams (Mark Wahlberg) ... read moreis a young kitchen porter working in a vibrant nightclub. He's trying to escape his mundane life at home with his parents and make a better life for himself. Itâ(TM)s here that he meets Jack Horner (Burt Reynolds), a succesful and well known director in the porn industry. Horner immediately sees the potential in Eddie and takes him under his wing. It is rumoured that Eddie has a âgiftâ? which could make them all very rich indeed. The appeal and glamour of Horner and his cohorts - the sexy Amber Waves (Julianne Moore) and Rollergirl (Heather Graham) are too much for Eddie to resist, so he agrees to become involved. First, he needs a porn name, deciding on âDirk Digglerâ? and it's at this point that the glamourous and exhilarating adventure begins.
    Set during the 70â²s & 80â²s, this captures the period brilliantly (with marvellously evocative cinematography by Robert Elswit) and is reminiscent of director Robert Altman's "Nashville" or John Badham's "Saturday Night Fever". It shares the same elaborate structure of the former and the bold vibrancy of the latter. Being only 26 years old at the time, it was an ambitious project for such a young director at this point in his career to tackle. Anderson could easily have crumbled under the pressure but instead, pulls off (excuse the pun) an intricate and expertly structured film in the style of the aforementioned Altman, in handling numerous characters and narrative strands or Martin Scorsese, in his long and impressive tracking shots. Anderson's talents are not only apparent in his writing or directing though. He also has an eye for performers and amasses a highly impressive ensemble of actors; Mark Wahlberg has never really convinced me over the years but here he is absolutely perfect (in a role originally offered to Leonardo DiCaprio) and shows fine range as the naive Eddie growing more confident as Dirk; John C. Reilly adds a nice comic role as his bumbling, endearing friend Reed Rothchild; Julianne Moore and Heather Graham excel in their roles as the female leads; William H. Macy as Little Bill is at his tragic best - knowing that his wife is having sex with every other man, except him; Philip Seymour Hoffman, no matter how small a role always manages to add depth and pathos as Scotty J, the homosexual cameraman who can't resist his urges towards Dirk and Burt Reynolds has never been better as the patriarchal Horner. In fact, there are so many marvellous performances itâ(TM)s difficult too mention them all here. It's testament to Anderson's skills that despite his large cast, he affords them all adequate time to become their characters and never judges them for their shortcomings.
    An extraordinary and provocative film, with an abundance of talent throughout. It works both as an expose of the porn industry and a deeply involving character study that's not without moments of intensity and well tuned humour.
  • fb100001048934982
    January 22, 2012
    fb100001048934982
    Paul Thomas Anderson's 'Boogie Nights' is an impressive study on the rise and fall of a fictitious star. Aside from handling the camera well and assembling a perfect cast, the film is extremely well written all the way through its three-hour run time. This is where Anderson solid... read moreifies himself as a filmmaker to watch for.
  • fb1664868775
    November 20, 2011
    fb1664868775
    Paul Thomas Anderson busted onto the scene with this Altman-esque ensemble piece about the porn business of the 1970's.
  • blkbomb
    September 10, 2011
    blkbomb
    Jack Horner: I got a feeling that behind those jeans is something wonderful just waiting to get out. 

    "Everyone has one special thing"

    Paul Thomas Anderson's second film, Boogie Nights, is what put him on the map . It's appeal is hard to describe. It's story is about a teenager... read more who meets a porn director and soon finds himself wrapped up in the porn business. Sounds cheap and trashy, but in reality it isn't. It's a fantastic movie that shows of the talent of Anderson more than any movie he has ever done. This may not be my favorite movie Anderson has done, but it definitely is my most appreciated. 

    The cast here is no less than amazing. The names are endless and they all give special performances. Mark Wahlberg, Burt Reynolds and Julianne Moore give the best performances I have ever seen from them. Then there is a supporting cast that includes Philip Baker Hall, Don Cheadle, John C. Reilly, William H. Macy, Phillip Seymour Hoffman, Heather Graham and Luis Guzman. Casts just don't come much better or bigger than that. They all work so well with a tough topic and are all very believable in a film that could have easily came off as overly silly.

    The story will obviously turn a lot of people off and has caused a lot of people to not even give it a chance. It's a lot deeper and more emotional than the topic of pornography would lead us to believe. It's one of those movies that isn't really about what the characters are doing, but more about what they are feeling. Boogie Nights is a movie of epic proportions.
  • ajv2688
    August 11, 2011
    ajv2688
    It's hard to decide whether or not I liked this movie. It's realistic and harsh sometimes and then funny and raunchy other times. The cast is good, though, and maybe the subject matter calls for those extremes, but overall it's just okay.

View All Boogie Nights Reviews

Critic Reviews

Owen Gleiberman
February 4, 2010
Owen Gleiberman, Entertainment Weekly

Boogie Nights, an epic tale of porn, pleasure, and excess, offers a purer hit of exhilaration than any movie this year. Full Review

Andrew Sarris
April 27, 2007
Andrew Sarris, New York Observer

Not since the mysteriously reclusive Terrence Malick has there been such an explosion of sheer talent on the American movie scene. Full Review

Emanuel Levy
May 1, 2006
Emanuel Levy, Variety

Considering the potentially explosive nature of the yarn, set in the porn world, Anderson's strategy is remarkably nonjudgmental and nonsensationalistic, largely due to his love and respect for all th... Full Review

Wally Hammond
February 9, 2006
Wally Hammond, Time Out

In terms of sweep, ambition and precocious cinematic competence, it heralds the arrival of a new talent. Full Review

Mick LaSalle
June 18, 2002
Mick LaSalle, San Francisco Chronicle

With Boogie Nights we know we're not just watching episodes from disparate lives but a panorama of recent social history, rendered in bold, exuberant colors. Full Review

Kenneth Turan
February 14, 2001
Kenneth Turan, Los Angeles Times

The film is bemused and entertained, as we are, by this pack of sexual extremists, and the eye it casts on them is both benevolent and wry. Full Review

Charles Taylor
January 1, 2000
Charles Taylor, Salon.com

Boogie Nights is truly audacious because Anderson doesn't beat you over the head with his daring. In the first half, he goes about turning conventional morality on its head nonchalantly, almost sweetly. Full Review

Roger Ebert
January 1, 2000
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times

As a writer and director, Paul Thomas Anderson is a skilled reporter who fills his screen with understated, authentic details. Full Review

Janet Maslin
January 1, 2000
Janet Maslin, New York Times

Everything about Boogie Nights is interestingly unexpected, even the few seconds of darkness before the film's neon title blasts onto the screen. The director, Paul Thomas Anderson, [displays talent t... Full Review

January 1, 2000
USA Today

A concise, vigorously told yarn with a strong point of view and a deftly juggled cast containing at least a few familiar faces.

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Facts

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    • Jack Horner: Heaven sent you here to this place, Dirk Diggler. You've been blessed.
    • Jack Horner: It seems to me, beneath those jeans, there's something wonderful just waiting to get out.
    • Eddie Adams/Dirk Diggler: I'm seventeen
    • Jack Horner: You're a seventeen year old piece of gold.
    • Eddie Adams/Dirk Diggler: Yeah, right.
    • Maurice T. Rodriguez: You are the foxiest bitch in ten countries.
    • Amber Waves: You're such a charmer.
    • Rollergirl: [about Dirk] He can fuck really hard or he can fuck really gently. He's the best.
    • Eddie Adams/Dirk Diggler: [standing in the kitchen at work with Jack] So, you want five or ten?
    • Jack Horner: What?
    • Eddie Adams/Dirk Diggler: Well, if you just wanna see me jack off, it's ten. But if you just wanna look at it, it's only five.
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Boogie Nights Trivia

  • Tagline: The life of a dreamer, the days of a business, and the nights in between.  Answer »
  • What 2 movies were based on the life of John Holmes?  Answer »
  • Which is not a film directed by Cameron Crowe?  Answer »
  • Which actor has starred in all of the following:- - Casualties of War - Days of Thunder - What's Eating Gilbert Grape? - Boogie Nights - The Thin Red Line - Magnolia  Answer »
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