Boogie Nights (1997)

[X.]

Boogie Nights (1997)

PT Andersen "celebrates filmmaking" by not being afraid to using visual invention, popular music and bold themes for his vibrant "Boogie Nights." The story is a basic coming-of-age, rags-to-riches fable that teeters on stereotypes. The core idea is that these beautiful sexy desirable porn stars are actually just regular people who hurt a lot; they feel isolated and alone and are stupid; hey, just like regular people! These poor misunderstood souls have wretched, fucked-up lives and pornography allows them the outlet to live out their fantasies, feel powerful in a society that loathes them and at the same time secretly harbours a fascination of them (the bank scene with Cheadle, the limo scene with Heather Graham's Rollergirl and a former classmate). The film is honest but it is not original. Andersen's virtuosity and the ensemble cast (incl. hilarious cameos from Alfred Molina, Thomas Jane, et al) redeem a screenplay of rich texture and limited thematic vision. The metaphors (the Electra and Odeipal complexes) and the social comments on the dysfunctional American family (the porn family are better parents?) have become standard film tokens. John C. Reily is wonderful and quite rightly Andersen's favourite person on the set. The film may be better received by audiences not familiar with the porn industy and those who are new to seeing the funny side of 'actors' in sex films. In a film about sex, I was a little disappointed at the lack of sexual ambivalence – Dirk Diggler is based on John Holmes who was bisexual (he died of AIDS resulting out of unprotected anal sex with men). In the film, Mark Walhberg’s Diggler is straight as an arrow. WTF?!

Rating:
  out of 

[fizz]

Ak...good review. I had similar reactions to the film. I though PT was trying to hard at humanising ppl in the industry and that didn't work for me (if almost felt forced). Great ensemble though, and Thomas Jane was mad!

[animatedude]

i fuckin' love this movie.

speaking of PT Andersen, i read somewhere that he hated Fight Club and he called it "unbelieveably irresponsible".

[shariqq]

The only way I've manged to watch "porn" is through this movie. I really liked Burt Reynolds & Reily in this movie. But this is defo more interesting a watch than Magnolia any day.

[X.]

speaking of PT Andersen, i read somewhere that he hated Fight Club and he called it "unbelieveably irresponsible".

Ebert loathed "Fight Club" even calling it, I quote from memory, "violence porn" and "fascist."

I wouldn't believe PT Andersen can say such a thing ("unbelievably irresponsible") considering the artistic freedom he holds so close, tightly to his chest (he wanted NC-17 on "Boogie Nights" but caved in for an R-rating to help the film make some money). But if he has, as you say he did, then he's a hypocritical prick. A talented hypocritical prick I might add.