Jrich1

(2013-05-20 06:09:46)

Frightening True and Very Good Movie

This is a sad look on what really happens. There was a review in a magazinethat I read that they had real stock brokers watch the movie and commentabout it. They found it pretty much believeable, although they mentionedthat a Ferrari is like a Chevy compared to the cars they really drive. Iwould really recommend this movie for a good Saturday night movie... hey myfiance' even liked it.

Alex Brown

(2013-05-19 22:03:04)

Wall Street: The Next Generation

Much as in Star Trek terms, the follow up is watchable, but isn't ever anygood. This is so obviously a case of homage being paid to Wall St - even ascene when all the players are sitting around watching the Michael Douglasflick.Ben Affleck is no Gordon Gecko, and actually isn't any good at all. He'snot convincing, he's annoying, at the end of the day he can'tact.A tale of a scam of the highest proportions, this does come to a predictablefinish. College reject Seth is good enough as the man to break the scamfrom within, his girlfriend the secretary is also reasonable.Otherwise I wouldn't actually bother; if you want to sit down and watchsomething harmless this is fine for the job.

(2013-05-18 01:40:39)

great sales tool

This is an absolutely great flick. I've been in sales for 6 years, and I use alot of the stuff in this movie in everyday life.

Shay Casey

(2013-05-17 18:46:13)

Boiler Room does a lot of nice things; too bad it doesn't manage to do them for a full two hours.

whpratt1

(2013-05-16 23:26:10)

Be Careful of the Job You Choose !

This was a very interesting film that had some comedy and some dramaand starred Giovanni Ribisi,(Seth Davis),"The Big White",'05, who playsa young man who decides to quit college which upsets his father, who isa Judge in the court system of NYC. Seth decides to go into thebrokerage business with very little experience in the world of financeand becomes deeply involved with his new career. This stock firmoperates very differently and sort of bends the Wall Street way ofdoing things, so to speak. Seth meets up with Nia Long,(AbbieHalpert),"Are You There Yet?",'05 and becomes very deeply involved withAbbie, at one point in their conversation together, Seth tells Abbie,"How About some Sweet Chocolate Love?". This is a very entertainingfilm and has an ending you will not be able to figure out until thevery ending. Enjoy.

Alex-372

(2013-05-16 10:53:04)

Great movie I'd see again

Boiler room is the story of an ambitious young man (GiovanniRibisi)who wants to go legit (he runs a small illegal casino) and decidestojoin "J.T. Marlin", an also small "brokerage firm". Along the wayhefalls for the beautiful secretary (Nia Long) and gets deeper anddeeperinto illegal activities that literally make his casino look like child'splay.Very nice performances from Ben Affleck and Vin Diesel.This movie basically would like to be a sequel to OlliverStone's"Wall Street", and in one segment, the crooks try to outdoeachotherin their ability to recount scenes from that movie. What is goodaboutthis movie is the testosterone soaked atmosphere of burningambition,lots of money (apparently) and... beautiful women? But wait aminute,apart from secretary Nia Long, where are the girls? Where isDarylHannah? Where are Shaun Young, where are the beautiful aidesandsecretaries and where's the highflying prostitute? Do these boysevenhave girlfriends?Another problem is that because Ribisi starts out doing wrong andunlikeBud Fox, doesn't get slowly sucked into compromising his idealsmoreand more, you're not slowly reeled in like in Wall Street. There isnoobvious virtue versus temptation. Whereas Gekko looks every bittherespectable business man with a degree, money to manage andinvestment bankers knocking at his door, Affleck is never morethana used car salesman, with Diesel as his cheerleader. There isnojourney from honest but ambitious to hopelessly compromised.In fact, where Gekko's business is legit, Affleck's is nevermorethan a tele-sales operation.There is of course the son-father relationship, like in WallStreet,but it seems forced, although it might be Boiler Room'sstrongestpoint.Still, of all the films I would see again, this is at the top of mylist.

TOXIC-7

(2013-05-15 05:07:26)

a caustic examination of the shrewd world known as capitalism.

Ben Younger has succeeded in giving us a microscopic look at the lifestyle&corruption of young Wall Street-type American men. With cutting dialogueandsharp characterizations, Boiler Room intensifies the personification oftheAmerican Dream, "Get rich and get rich quick". An excellent young castdevour the screen as hip hop sound beds have you nodding your head, as youplay voyeur into these characters lives and dreams. The first great movieofthe new millennium.

iLoveLamp62

(2013-05-14 16:57:43)

PRETTY GOOD!

Boiler Room was a pretty good movie, not the best but still veryentertaining. It also helped to have such HOT actors like Vin Diesel andNicky Katt. Vin Diesel's performance was great, this movie was great but notas much as Vin Diesel's other movies like "Pitch Black" and "The Fast AndThe Furious". Overall I give this movie 7.8 out of 10

bob the moo

(2013-05-14 15:29:00)

A bit derivative but generally well delivered and interesting

Despite being a college drop out, Seth Davis gets a job as a broker fora small investment firm JT Marlin. With promises of his first millionwithin three years Seth gets into the high tension and fast paced worldof the boiler room – the salesroom floor where he begins as a trainee.He gradually grows within the organisation and starts seeing thebeautiful receptionist Abbie – despite the fact that she used to bewith his new boss. However the deeper he goes, Seth begins to suspectthat it can't all be as good as it looks and is unlikely to be as legalas he had been told it was.It might be the fact that the film actually name checks Glengary GlenRoss and Wall Street but at times this feels that, like its characters,that it has watched these films too many times and has simply added atouch of Goodfellas to it to produce Boiler Room. However this isactually a bit unfair because the film has just about enough of its ownto stand out as rather an enjoyable and interesting look at the ethicsof certain sections of the business world. It doesn't help it beengaging by having the 'none of this is true or even based on truth'disclaimer thing up front – I understand why they did that but itundermines things from the get go and doesn't help it get off to a goodstart. Despite this the narrative is strong enough to keep thingsmoving forward despite the weaknesses. Younger does well to recreatethe testosterone-fuelled world where money is the only thing thatmatters and it tends to be this energy that drives the film wheresubplots on relationships struggle.The cast are a great help, featuring generally good performancesdespite the odd weak bit. Ribisi is the heart of the film and, althoughhe doesn't totally convince in his narration he is a good lead, takingwell to his character. Diesel usually strikes fear deep into my heartbut here he is actually pretty good, as is Katt. Long is a good actressand great looking but this is not the best role she has had; shedelivers it the best she can but the story uses her as a device atbest. Caan is OK and Rifkin has a simple task to deliver. The only bumnote was, surprise, surprise, Ben Affleck. His dialogue is OK but asthe film struggles at times by coming over as a copy of better films,all I could think about with him was how great Alec Baldwin had been inpretty much the same role.Overall this works and has enough energy to drive it forward despiteitself. The disclaimer makes it a hard sell early on, while thereferences (direct and unintentional) to other films don't help it beits own master but the good cast help and Younger gets it throughregardless. There are better films but this has the energy to appeal toa younger audience that will likely enjoy it.

(2013-05-13 16:40:08)

Disappointing

I really thought I would enjoy this movie, based on the promos, but it turned out to be very weak and predictable. The film seriously lacks character development. The beginning gets you interested but the film doesn't give you a reason to care about any of the characters or what happens to them. Soon, the film becomes more and more unbelievable and thus somewhat boring. Dialog such as "Don't push the wood", "Don't pitch the bitch" and "we've got guys here who make a million dollars in commissions but can't qualify for a loan to buy a Honda Civic" made me laugh. The group scenes made the would be brokers look like a bunch of incompetent used used car salesman. The film makers tried to flesh out the movie by putting a face on one of the victims, but it wasn't enough. When I read the review on the video box, I kept expecting the father of the lead character to somehow be involved with the son in a stock fraud scam. It never really happens. The FBI investigation like the scenes with the one victim is much too weak and the film ends in a predicable fizzle. I can see how this film would be popular with young 20 something males who would be pumped up by the soundtrack and the clever buzz word dialog between the actors, but for everyone else, it's just another forgettable movie.

tom

(2013-05-12 20:02:40)

A sale is always made...

I remember when i had a short stint working for this telemarketingcompany,my boss used to always say "A sale is made on every call. Either you sellthem what you are selling or they sell you an excuse."This is the message that this film hammers through: the lure of fast moneyand the power of persuation; you can destroy someone's life with onephonecall.Now unlike the characters in Boiler Room, im not trying to scam you out ofyour life savings- so stop reading these reviews and see themovie.You won't regret it. 8/10

James Berardinelli

(2013-05-12 13:55:22)

A compelling movie-going experience.

Ysman

(2013-05-12 11:58:51)

Entertaining mind candy . . .

Premiere Magazine did an article about movies with superb casts, casts thatcaught a lot of great talent while it was young, casts that couldn't beafforded on one set today. The films they chose were films like The LastPicture Show, The Outsiders, Diner, School Ties. I think that this is whatBoiler Room will become, a showcase for the talent of the future. GiovanniRibisi, Vin Diesel, Nicky Katt, Scott Caan, and Jamie Kennedy are names thatare not highly recognizable now but in five years these guy will most likelybe making the blockbuster hits and bringing home the big checks. Gettingpast the great cast, Boiler Room was a highly enjoyable film. The leads aregreat and the story line is simple but firm. The only time the film failsis when it strays too much from the main plot. The familial aspect ofGiovanni Ribisi and his father pauses much of the momentum and tension thefilms tries to build up. However that is a miniscule setback to a fun, ifnot deep, film.

(2013-05-12 03:35:40)

This movie falls far short of Wall Street

Based on the trailer, the expectations were set high and I was hoping to see a new version of Stone's "Wall Street" or something like that. While the industry has been portrayed correctly, at least to some degree and New Jersey is full with such Boiler rooms, the language is sickening. Every other word is profanity, especially Ben Affleck's role is limited by a sparse vocabulary. In short, the script is mediocre at best, and there's plenty of foul language, and don't expect a high-profile lifestyle or exotic cars in this flick as there are only a few scenes where you can see a Ferrari. It's a boring and depressing movie and I don't recommend it.

(2013-05-10 15:46:50)

BOILER ROOM NEVER REALLY HEATS UP...

This is a Gen X version of the movie "Wall Street". It is an uneven, though intriguing, debut by director Ben Younger. It is also a movie that promises much, but fails to deliver anything substantial. First off, it lures you by claiming that it stars Ben Affleck. While Ben Affleck may appear in the movie, it can hardly be said to star him. In fact, Affleck's role cannot even be said to rise to that of a supporting role, so ephemeral is it. Yet, all the trailers feature Affleck prominently, as if by promising to deliver him, it may make up for the deficiencies in the film. Nonetheless, Affleck does give a dynamic performance, however miniscule his part.On the plus side, however, there are some other performances of note. Vin Diesel's is one. He just keeps getting better and is one of the most versatile young actors of today, having had featured roles in "Saving Private Ryan" and "Pitch Black". Also, Giovanni Ribisi turns in a very good performance, as well, though it is not believable that the beautiful Nia Long would find him to be her type.The premise of the movie is simple. Seth Davis (Giovanni Ribisi) is a nineteen year old college drop out who runs an illegal casino out of his Kew Garden Hills, Queens, NY apartment. While he is making a tidy sum out of his illegal operation which is a mecca for bored Queens College students, Seth is a disappointment to his father (Ron Rifkin), who is a federal judge and fearful of becoming tainted through association by his son's illegal activities. Seth, wanting to make his father proud of him, tries to go legit and gets a job at a small brokerage firm whose owners (Ben Affleck and Thom Everett Scott) make get rich quick promises. Two senior brokers with the firm, Greg (Nicki Katt), who lured him to the firm, and Chris (Vin Diesel), who tries to look out for Seth while he cuts his eyeteeth, basically play a good cop/bad cop routine through out the film. Greg's former love interest, Abbey (Nia Long), the firm's $80,000 a year receptionist, turns to Seth for romance, much to Greg's annoyance. This creates tension between Seth and Greg for which Chris runs interference.Seth initially buys into the promises of big money and falls for the allure of mega bucks, hook, line, and sinker, becoming one of the most promising newcomers to the firm, only to discover that he has traded one illicit operation for another. It seems the firm is selling virtually worthless stock to unsuspecting individuals. When he looks to get out from under, turning to his disapproving father for help, he is rejected. His father, however, has a change of heart and reaches out to his son, only to become ensnared in his son's get rich quick debacle. You see, the firm has been the focal point of an investigation by the Feds for violation of Securities Exchange Commission (SEC) regulations. The movie now spirals quickly to its climax. The uneven pacing of the film, the failure of the romantic sub-plot due to lack of chemistry between Long and Ribisi, the under utilization of Thom Everett Scott, and the failure to deliver Affleck, as promised, contribute to the disappointment in the movie. Still, it could have been a contender, as it has some very promising moments. "Wall Street", however, made the same promise, the only difference being that it delivered.

Spencer Lehmann

(2013-05-10 07:06:13)

Excellent, accurate, sobering film. A definite must see!

This film epitomizes the activities of many Securities DealerOperations, Insurance Company Agent operations, and other like salesand marketing oriented businesses where little regulation is imposed onthose engaged in mass marketing to an unassuming public.While I personally refused to perform these types of atrocious sellingtechniques, I learned the Insurance agency business from an agency thattrained its agents to sell in precisely this type of "Body shop"marketing, in which the consumer is treated as ignorant and greedyfools, just waiting for an unscrupulous "Representative" to take theirmoney.Ranks in reality with the movie "Tin Men", with Danny DeVito andRichard Dreyfuss and made as a comedy, tho' not humorous to those of uswho would like to see the "Sleaze Balls" put out of our business, andprofessionalism returned. Also akin to another great film of this type,"Glengary Glen Ross", with Alan Arkin, Jack Lemmon, and other "top ten"actors. All great films, and all very embarrassing to those who wish tosee rigid standards enforced for those who are responsible forhusbanding the public's money, and who must earn the public trust.These films show clearly how not to do business if you have aconscience, or care about your fellow man. Excellent, disturbing.

agathena02

(2013-04-30 21:26:39)

Excellent portrayal of a complex father/son relationship

I really enjoyed this movie, as I once worked for a broker that handledmostly blue chip & institutional stocks. There were a couple of crookedbrokers who came and left and I'll always remember an anguished broker'scry, "You can't sell him out, his stocks are worthless. I mostly enjoyed the interaction between the father and son. The pace ofthe movie was fast and believable with a good cast. Ben Affleck was good asthe evil manager. He took a note from Alec Baldwin in "Glengarry Glen Ross."Great dialogue, good story, good acting. What's not to like?

sprung

(2013-04-30 15:14:05)

Big disappointment, Mamet need not fear

I went to this movie expecting a hard hitting look at the inside world ofshady stock traders. I'm a huge Glengarry fan and I knew that this movieexplores many of the same themes from that film. However, the scriptveersoff into two unnecessary subplots (girlfriend and father/son conflict)thatthreaten to steal any momentum it might gain. Ben Affleck is no Baldwin.In fact, in many instances the movie played like "Mamet Lite". Sure thecursing was there but it had none of the artistry or proper placementfoundin other films. Also, the blaring rap soundtrack does little to add to aproper sense of atmosphere. Avoid at all costs.

Mike DeWolfe

(2013-04-30 14:01:23)

Boiler Room is a good-quality sleeper that ranks up there with Glengarry Glen Ross and Wall Street.

MediaGuy-2

(2013-04-29 15:37:32)

Young Stockbrokers with an attitude....

This was a great movie. The movie is told from the point of view ofGiovanniRibisi's character, Seth Davis. The film depicts Seth's successful riseandhis downfall as a stockbroker. The movie begins by getting straight to thepoint and ends the same way, by getting straight to the point. Thesoundtrack to the movie is especially amazing. It is full of fast and slowpaced hip hop beats. I give this movie an 8 out of 10. See it if you havethe chance. Also Jamie Kennedy (Scream 1 & 2, Bowfinger, Three Kings) isespecially hilarious in his role, another reason to watch themovie.