Sexuality in 'Boogie Nights'

Boogie Nights, a 1997 film directed by Paul Thomas Anderson and starring Mark Wahlberg as Eddie Adams, a boy who becomes a pornography star known as 'Dirk Diggler', is a film that relatively accurately portrays the adult film industry. Eddie Adams came from a somewhat unstable and very unhappy home environment, and was working as a part time waiter at a restaurant for a living and performing sexual acts for money (namely, masturbating in front of others for $10) when he is noticed by a famous pornography director. After being offered a part, Eddie decides to become Dirk Diggler, and proves to be quite talented, as he quickly rises to the top of the industry. Unfortunately, extensive drug use causes his ultimate downfall, as he becomes a cocaine addict. In the end, however, he is involved in a dangerous illegal drug exchange and decides to put drugs behind him and make peace with his director and 'family' of other pornography actors.

This film touches on topics relevant to sexual psychology: of course pornography and the adult film industry is described, but so is prostitution, exhibitionism, and even healthy adult sexual relationships. The film begins with Eddie performing sexual acts for money, which is the predominant cause for prostitution. As the movie progresses, the pornography industry itself is described as being somewhat glamorous; the people involved are all involved because they enjoy sex and want to have sex with one another, which is an example of a healthy sexual relationship between consenting adults. Eddie Adams may be considered somewhat of an exhibitionist, as he may be aroused by others watching him (both in his early prostitution and later pornography), but he does not force this on anyone and only exhibits himself when asked to.

Overall, the film looks at the adult film industry itself as a neutral, if not positive, entity. The characters truly enjoy their work and believe that they are doing the world a service by providing harmless sexual imagery to arouse others, and all of the scenes that they film are of consenting adults having sex without violence. The plot does explore some of the negative facets of pornography (drug use), but this is, in fact, tangent to anything sexual and not directly related to pornography itself. In fact, it is seen as incredibly redeeming of Dirk when he returns to his 'family' of pornographers after his drug abuse, and the final scenes of the film are filled with images of a summer barbeque as kids play in the pool - no different than any other family or group of friends. In this way, the film suggests that the adult film industry is not a harbinger of evil, but that other, outside elements corrupt that which does not inherently do any harm. Unfortunately, many watching this film may not be able to separate the positive force of pornography and the negative influence of cocaine on Eddie Adams' life, and will likely blame his participation in pornography for his drug use and his eventual downfall.