This film was absolutely terrific. In fact, I would consider it to be the best feature of the 35 that I saw at the Festival. I would characterize Boogie Nights as a cross between Goodfellas and Dazed and Confused. I make the comparison to Goodfellas not because Boogie Nights was particularly violent (although there are some scenes of violence) but because of the way in which it was shot (the camera was seemingly always in motion) and also because of its episodic format. The reference to Dazed and Confused should be more obvious as the film can be seen as a love letter from the director, Paul Thomas Anderson, to the late 70's--early 80's time period in which Boogie Nights is set. Pop-cultural references abound--Fresca, Hi-Fi, 8-track tapes, Star Wars, etc. I can't wait to buy the soundtrack as the film is loaded with great songs and guilty pleasures.
Anderson's direction in Boogie Nights is remarkably assured considering the fact that it's only his second feature (his first was the little-seen Hard Eight). The camera is moving throughout a la Scorsese and only on a couple of occasions does it seem intrusive.
The acting in the film is uniformly excellent, with Burt Reynolds, as pornographer Jack Horner, giving perhaps the best performance of his career. While a surprisingly understated performance, you can't help but look at Reynolds whenever he's on the screen; it would be a crime if he didn't get at least an Oscar nomination, if not the trophy itself.
William H. Macy, last seen in Fargo, is hilarious as a member of Horner's crew who is eventually driven crazy by his wife's brazen infidelities (said wife played with gusto by real-life porn star, Nina Hartley)
Other standouts include the lead, Mark Wahlberg, who is likely to be flooded with offers as a consequence of his great work in this film, Julianne Moore as Horner's wife, Amber Waves, and noted close magician and sometime actor, Ricky Jay.
This film is loaded with great scenes, but one which I found particularly good was an attempted donut store robbery near the end of the film which culminates in a predicatably violent but surprisingly unexpected and hilarious manner; the scene would not have been out of place in Pulp Fiction.
In closing, I would like to say that I can't praise this film enough and that I would recommend it unreservedly.
