Paul Thomas Anderson

This film never lost my interest in its 2 1/2 hour running time, but neither did it rivet me. It is sort of like skipping from peak to peak over a mountain range without ever quite understanding the valleys in between. A succession of quirky characters parade across the screen in memorable scenes, played by excellent actors, but the whole story is sacrificed to individual moments. As the private detective at the center of the goings-on, Phoenix gives a likable, low-key performance that holds show more things together. Brolin is effective as his nemesis, a loner detective, whose motivations are never quite made clear. Waterston is is Phoenix's ex-girlfriend, now at the heart of the disappearance of a real estate developer, and her performance is memorable for one scene at least--and you can guess which one. The settings and cinematography and pacing of the film are good as well, as one would expect from this director, but it is easy to see why this one didn't make any money to speak of. I do love all the character names, however. show less

On one level, Boogie Nights follows a familiar plot outline -- unknown rises to success, ego inflates, drugs interfere, downfall, resurrection. On another level it is a wonderful collection of character portrayals, by an outstanding cast that would have been prohibitively expensive a few years afterwards. Paul Thomas Anderson interweaves the character portrayals so seamlessly that the whole movie flows from beginning to end.

Paul Thomas Anderson's bravura directorial turn is the real star of this hugely powerful and compelling story about the rise and fall of '70s porn star Eddie Adams, / Dirk Diggler (Mark Wahlberg). The chintzy look of the film and each scene and sequence is a flashy show case for Anderson's directorial abilities; at times begging comparison with Kubrick and Scorsese at their best. His lurid script is equally good presenting rich and detailed character studies of all the individuals that fall show more into the ambit of porn director Jack Horner (Burt Reynolds). Anderson's writing and directing is so strong that he is able to give us real insight into his characters with very little dialogue allied to smart visuals and elegant musical cues. The ensemble cast is stunning - each delivering a standout turn, none more so than John C. Reilly who delivers a perfect balance of emotion and comic timing as Diggler's sidekick Chest Rockwell. "Boogie Nights" is a modern masterpiece that is hugely original, stunningly directed, beautifully photographed and with acting performances are hugely touching, emotionally powerful and wryly humorous. show less

Very loosely based on Oil by Upton Sinclair. One interesting change is that the son is adopted instead of biological, which lends the main character a degree of empathy and kindness that has to carry the audience's sympathy through some monstrous behavior. One of those movies that should feel slow, but every moment is riveting due to the carefully choreographed tension between the characters, and between Daniel's precarious morality.