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 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. ( )