Movie Guys: ‘Boogie’ to the beat of sex, sleaze and family values

Thursday, Oct. 30, 1997 | 4:37 a.m.

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* Grades: Dave, A; Jeff, A.

* Starring: Mark Wahlberg, Burt Reynolds, William H. Macy, Juilanne Moore, Don Cheadle, John C. Reilly and Robert Ridgely.

* Screenplay: Paul Thomas Anderson.

* Director: Paul Thomas Anderson.

* Studio: New Line Cinema.

* Rated: R for profanity, sexual situations, nudity and violence.

* Running time: 150 minutes.

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* Dave: "Boogie Nights," a film that takes an audacious look into the world of 1970s porn, may either interest you or repel you for the wrong reasons.

True, its topic is a bit seedy and the characters may not be ideal role models, but sincerity and a tasteful approach are a few of the outstanding qualities that grace writer-director Paul Thomas Anderson's film.

In a breakthrough performance, Mark Wahlberg (former rapper Marky Mark) plays Eddie Adams, a naive 17-year-old busboy in Los Angeles who is extremely "well-endowed" and soon discovered by porn filmmaker Jack Horner (Burt Reynolds).

Renamed Dirk Diggler, Eddie is an immediate success within the industry and accepted by his new porn family. Then the dreaded '80s hit, and porn begins to make a move from high-priced film to the cheaper video market. With that comes the downward spiral of drugs, death, and career-threatening choices that ultimately decide their fate.

There are sensational, Oscar-worthy performances by an inspired cast, with standouts being a sweet and ambitious Wahlberg; Julianne Moore as a mother-figure and porn leading lady; and the charming Reynolds, who recaptures the command of the audience he once so naturally possessed early in his career.

The film is also driven by its rich nostalgia -- an impressive collection of hit songs, a vintage decor and a fashionable wardrobe -- that screams "CAMP!" by today's standards.

Young filmmaker Anderson, whose only previous film credit is "Hard Eight," is already being touted as the next Quentin Tarantino -- and deservedly so. His daring camera moves and storytelling abilities are clearly developing into a personal style all his own.

The film originally ran into trouble with the MPAA ratings board over its racy subject matter, and clocked in at more than three hours. Now, with an R rating and coming in at trimmer 2 1/ 2 hours, you'll be lost in all the glamour, mayhem, brilliance and gritty reality that is "Boogie Nights."

"Boogie Nights" gets an A.

* Jeff: Hollywood has a new wonder boy in town: Paul Thomas Anderson.

In a game of King of the Mountain, he has, with one swoop of his cinema stick, knocked off Quentin Tarantino as the Generation X filmmaker of our time.

On the surface, his "Boogie Nights" is an inside look at the porn industry in the late '70s. This is what first attracted me to the film -- a taboo subject explored for the first time in a major motion picture. Anderson has written a story not just about a young man from a broken home who makes X-rated films, but a movie about family.

The head of this dysfunctional family is Burt Reynolds' porn producer. A surrogate father, he provides the foundation for the family, protecting and guiding his "children." This is the role of Reynolds' career. He commands the screen with style, proves anew his acting ability and redefines himself as a star.

Dust off a shelf for your Oscar, Burt.

Julianne Moore is the mother of the makeshift family. She plays the top porn actress of the day and, at times, wants to be called "mother" by her porn family to fill the void left by the absence of her own children, whom her ex-husband has taken away.

Mark Wahlberg is the new addition to the family, playing new porn sensation Dirk Diggler. Wahlberg is simply astounding. He brings an acting range to Diggler, playing from one extreme to the other. First, he's a naive kid looking for an identity, then transforms into a man broken by drugs and crime.

Anderson has captured the era of the late '70s. The sets, the clothes, the language are all perfect, right down to the Farrah Fawcett swimsuit poster on Wahlberg's wall. Another star of "Boogie Nights" is the film's soundtrack. In almost every scene, a vintage disco song accompanies the dialogue. Not since "American Graffiti" has a soundtrack played such an important role in establishing mood and pace.

Anderson's direction is fresh and mesmerizing, visually influenced by Martin Scorcese. Filming his first porn scene with Diggler, Anderson records the event in real time, inter-cutting a rough cut and then showing the exposure occur within the camera itself. He also paints still images with motion, placing objects on a table, with the camera twisting.

"Boogie Nights" is a film about tragedy, sex and family. It's a porn-style "Goodfellas," with a surprise ending that will have everyone talking. It's one of the best films of the year.

"Boogie Nights gets an A.