A real pleasure of a film. I’m a sucker for noir, and this delivers. What a cast! Everybody wonderful in their roles, and everybody stealing at least some scenes they’re involved in. PTA knows what’s up.
I liked this better than Boogie Nights, even though I know Boogie is a “better” movie. I just found this more entertaining.
PTA’s later films are all masterpieces, but they’re about the unmooring of men and the search for family. The men in these early PTA films are all moored to and anchored by families, and their families are often chosen, not genetic. Like many others, I’d love to know what caused this shift in PTA’s perspective.