Paul Thomas Anderson has made some good films since “Boogie Nights,” and everything he has ever made has been at least interesting. But this, his 1997 sophomore effort, which he made at 26 years old, remains his best to date.
It’s the story of the pornographic film industry, from its zenith in the 1970s to its transformation into something both ubiquitous and bargain basement following the emergence of home video. What’s most brilliant about the movie is its understanding — that is, Thomas’ own precocious understanding — of the 1970s mentality, the idealism underneath the decadence. He essentially uses this story to make a comment on America’s movement from innocence to cynicism, from faith in the power of sex to faith in the power of money.
The cast is superb, with Julianne Moore especially memorable as a sensitive, drug-addled and maternal porn star who is about to age out of her profession. Also worthy of mention are Mark Wahlberg, whose character’s natural endowments guarantee him a career, and Burt Reynolds as a porn producer. The film also provided a strong showcase for Philip Seymour Hoffman, who has an important early role as a closeted gay hanger-on.