At a disco one night in the 1970s, adult-movie impresario Jack Horner (Reynolds) spots handsome busboy Eddie (Wahlberg), and invites him to a casting call. Almost overnight, Eddie — a good-natured, slightly dim kid from a broken home who believes he has "something special" to share with the world — changes his name to Dirk Diggler and becomes a porn star, with all the perks and dangers such a lifestyle entails.

Loosely based on the life of '70s erotic-film stud John Holmes, Anderson's surprisingly human second feature is an Altmanesque blend of wistful humor and naturalistic ensemble acting. Dirk quickly discovers his "real" family in the cozy, coke-fueled decadence of Horner's misfit milieu, where he's nurtured by maternal porn actress Amber Waves (Julianne Moore) and befriended by numerous quirky types, played by a who's who of '90s A-listers. An offbeat gem, with a tongue-in-cheek "money shot" that'll make your jaw drop.