Set in the San Fernando Valley during the late 70s and early 80s, the film follows Eddie Adams, a young man who is discovered by a pornographic filmmaker and rises to stardom under the name Dirk Diggler. As the industry shifts from the glamour of film to the cheapness of video, Dirk and his surrogate family of performers struggle with ego, addiction, and the changing times. It is a vibrant, often tragic look at the rise and fall of a tight-knit community on the fringes of Hollywood.