Boogie Nights

It’s hard to sum this film up. It’s even hard to describe exactly what this film even means. All that I truly know is that this film, which for me completes my PTA cycle, makes it official that Paul Thomas Anderson is the best director out there. I’ll go into the movie, but first let me talk about why PTA is such a good director.

First he blends many genres. He mostly sticks to Drama and sometimes adds dry comedy, but here in Boogie Nights, he shows that he can do a very good action scene. There are only two, and both are very small, but both pack a great punch.

I think the best thing PTA offers in his story telling is his great blend of irony. Although this is not his best film, it is his best work as a director. That’s mostly because of the excellent camera work which is similar to his first film Hard Eight, but more advanced. Now that I’ve seen all of Andersons films, I’m confident in saying he’s my favorite director ever.

As a film, Boogie Nights packs quite the punch. The film centers on Mark Walberg, who plays a porn star. It you think this is a simple film about porn you would be sadly mistaken. This movie packs a lot of excess sex, drugs, violence… you name it. But it’s almost a satire of the 70’s with homage to it. It’s really hard to know truly if Anderson is serious with this work.

Although there are many moments of sadness, there are also many scenes that will make you laugh and not know why.
It could have something to do with PTA’s charm. Between Mark Walberg wanting to make a series of “James Bond” porns and that he is heavily influence by the great Bruce Lee, there is something just funny about the primitive minds of the characters.

They live in a world where they have sex with beautiful women, drive fast cars, and party daily, but are not truly happy. So here is that deep meaning the director is trying to get at. What truly makes us happy? He explores this theme deeply and shows us that there are things in this world that don't make us happy and there are things that we long to hold on to.

Altogether it’s a great film once you get past the very gritty subject matter. It’s Paul Thomas Anderson’s second best film and just gets me more pumped for his future works. Score 9/10
By Steve Sparks