What it’s about
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.
Why we love it
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.
Mark Wahlberg, Burt Reynolds, William H. Macy, Don Cheadle, Heather Graham, Luis Guzman, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Julianne Moore, John C. Reilly Paul Thomas Anderson
