Minor "Boogie Nights" question

Watching this flick the other night (Never get tired of the adventures of Dirk, Reed, Scotty and the boys), and I again saw the scene that puzzles me.

When they’re at the drug dealer’s house trying to sell him a key of flour while “Sister Christian” blares in the background as the Chinese kid sets off firecrackers, why does Dirk stare at the camera for about 30 sec - 1 minute and then get that funny grin on his face? I would say it was just an unplanned reaction of Mark Wahlberg, but they focus on it way too long for it to not be intentional.

Any ideas?

I don’t know. And wasn’t it Jessie’s Girl playing by that point? It was a great scene and I remember hearing Anderson talking about that scene on a commentary, but I don’t remember him mentioning the transition to the smile.

OF course, Anderson confuses me in general. Don’t even get me started on the ending of Magnolia (yes I get it, but a solid thumbs down from ol’ watsonwil)

I think it’s one of those moments where the lead character is supposed to be reevaluating his life, or something. It worked for me.

By the way, the Chinese guy w/firecrackers is an homage to a similar scene in a silly '70s movie called Putney Swope.

On the DVD commentary Anderson says it was unplanned. The music wasn’t specifically timed for that scene, in fact there was no music playing except in Rahad’s earpiece (that’s why he doesn’t flinch when the firecrackers go off). He said it just turned out that way.

You do? Care to explain it to somebody who didn’t at all?