Boogie Nights

1997, Drama, 2h 32m

73 Reviews 100,000+ Ratings

What to know

critics consensus

Grounded in strong characters, bold themes, and subtle storytelling, Boogie Nights is a groundbreaking film both for director P.T. Anderson and star Mark Wahlberg. Read critic reviews

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Boogie Nights Photos

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Movie Info

In the San Fernando Valley in 1977, teenage busboy Eddie Adams (Mark Wahlberg) gets discovered by porn director Jack Horner (Burt Reynolds), who transforms him into adult-film sensation Dirk Diggler. Brought into a supportive circle of friends, including fellow actors Amber Waves (Julianne Moore), Rollergirl (Heather Graham) and Reed Rothchild (John C. Reilly), Dirk fulfills all his ambitions, but a toxic combination of drugs and egotism threatens to take him back down.
  • Rating:
    R (Explicit Dialogue|Drug Use|Violence|Language|Nudity|Strong Sex Scenes)
  • Genre:
    Drama
  • Original Language:
    English
  • Director:
    Paul Thomas Anderson
  • Producer:
    Lloyd Levin, John S. Lyons, JoAnne Sellar
  • Writer:
    Paul Thomas Anderson
  • Release Date (Theaters):
     wide
  • Release Date (Streaming):
  • Box Office (Gross USA):
    $26.4M
  • Runtime:
  • Distributor:
    Criterion Collection, New Line Cinema
  • Sound Mix:
    Surround, Dolby Digital, SDDS
  • Aspect Ratio:
    35mm, Scope (2.35:1)

Cast & Crew

Mark Wahlberg
Eddie Adams, Dirk Diggler
Burt Reynolds
Jack Horner
Julianne Moore
Amber Waves
John C. Reilly
Reed Rothchild
Don Cheadle
Buck Swope
Heather Graham
Rollergirl, Brandy
Luis Guzmán
Maurice TT Rodriguez
Philip Seymour Hoffman
Scotty J.
William H. Macy
Little Bill
Alfred Molina
Rahad Jackson
Philip Baker Hall
Floyd Gondolli
Robert Ridgely
The Colonel James
Ricky Jay
Kurt Longjohn
Thomas Jane
Todd Parker
Paul Thomas Anderson
Director
Paul Thomas Anderson
Writer
Lawrence Gordon
Executive Producer
Lloyd Levin
Producer
John S. Lyons
Producer
JoAnne Sellar
Producer
Michael Penn
Original Music
Robert Elswit
Cinematography
Dylan Tichenor
Film Editing
Christine Sheaks
Casting
Bob Ziembicki
Production Design
Ted Berner
Art Director
Sandy Struth
Set Decoration
Mark Bridges
Costume Design
Show all Cast & Crew

Critic Reviews for Boogie Nights

All Critics (73) | Top Critics (17) | Fresh (68) | Rotten (5)
Full Review… Gene Siskel Chicago Tribune Full Review… Mike Clark USA Today Full Review… Jason Bailey Vice Full Review… Candice Frederick Reel Talk Online Full Review… Owen Gleiberman Entertainment Weekly Full Review… Andrew Sarris Observer Full Review… Jonah Koslofsky The Spool Full Review… Kyle Smith National Review Full Review… Federico Furzan Cinelipsis Full Review… Brian D. Johnson Maclean's Magazine Full Review… Charles Mudede The Stranger (Seattle, WA) Full Review… Sean Axmaker Stream on Demand
View All Critic Reviews (73)

Audience Reviews for Boogie Nights

  • Mar 05, 2017
    An unsettling film about what goes on in the pornography industry. Wahlberg plays a young rising star in the industry trying to make a living in this dark world. It's a little overrated, aside from an interesting subject, the film itself has very little to offer.
    Sylvester K Super Reviewer
  • Jun 22, 2016
    Very interesting look into the late 1970s and early 1980s pornography industry. The drugs and sex are very much a part of this film. Mark Wahlberg, Julianne Moore, and Burt Reynolds are all excellent in this film. The script is very well written and gives us a very clear trajectory for Dirk Diggler (Wahlberg) throughout the film that ends very appropriately.
    Patrick W Super Reviewer
  • Jun 01, 2014
    [img]http://images.rottentomatoes.com/images/user/icons/icon14.gif[/img]
    Directors C Super Reviewer
  • Mar 05, 2013
    I had high faith that Boogie Nights would be a great film, given Paul Thomas Anderson's impressive filmography: and I was not disappointed. He exposes the what goes on behind the camera in the porn industry which a majority of people who watch it are ignorant of. Anderson's knack for writing great characters is evident in Boogie Nights: from main protagonist and pornstar Dirk Diggler (Mark Whalberg), to Julianne Moore's preformance as an expiring actress to the loose canon drug dealer who comes into play towards the end (played by Alfred Molina). Between the interesting characters, the previously unexplored subject matter, and the gripping subplots weaving in seamlessly together makes for a well-written, memorable, and ultimately timeless film.
    Kevin M Super Reviewer
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