Les initiés

Before you decide whether to watch "Boiler Room" you need to decide if you are willing to watch a movie with the F-bomb being dropped 323420854 times. It is an excellent film...but if you are offended by cursing, look elsewhere.

The story is about Seth, a young man with little in the way of conscience. Instead of working hard the normal and expected way, Seth wants to cut corners. So while his peers go to college, he skips classes and opens a casino in his house...and makes a ton of money. However, Seth's hard-as-nails father is naturally disappointed in him...and makes that obvious. Wanting to make something of himself and impress his dad, Seth goes to work for a trading company. But this is not exactly the Wall Street variety firm but instead their attitude is say and do ANYTHING to make the sale...anything. They're obviously a sleazy outfit but just how sleazy is something Seth has to discover for himself...and even with Seth is a bit appalled by this...but he loves all the money!

The film is coarse and crass--and this is appropriate for the 20- somethings that star in the film. They are, by and large, guys with no souls and are motivated by greed and self-indulgence. The overall film is much like "Glengarry Glen Ross" and "Wall Street" merged into one...and targeted to a slightly younger audience. Well made and hard to see without being impressed. However, I am very surprised that after writing and directing such a fine film that Ben Younger STILL is mostly making short films and his feature career hasn't taken off. I'd sure love to know why...

The large and well-selected cast turned in very powerful performances. They crafted a convincing range of emotions, from cunning cut-throat manipulators of their clients' personal wealth during office hours, to brief examples of their "boys will be boys" shenanigans after hours. The story line is built completely around their personal financial greed, the hapless victims they scammed to realize it (with the greatest focus on one of them), and a well-sustained sense of mystery that plants seeds of possibilities along the way. The ending was not at all predictable; it could have gone in any of several directions. The viewer gets the impression that if these predators could yank even the last remaining penny out of a client on his (they targeted males) deathbed, they'd gleefully do so and view it as a major coup giving them full bragging rights. There's a hint of information about how legitimate stockbrokers earn their credentials and that was enlightening. The romantic angles are minimalized and that serves to benefit the film. The language is consistently coarse, but certainly seemed realistic for the characters' ages, their business sector and their work ethic. For everyone who enjoyed "Glengarry Glen Ross," "Wall Street" (both of which are alluded to in the film), or even more appropriately "The Crooked E: The Unshredded Truth About Enron," this feature will really score a bulls-eye.

Pretty good, effective thriller with a cast of exciting young actors. The funniest thing about it, though, is the Ben Affleck scenes - all bar one are shot on the same set with none of the other principal characters except Giovanni Ribisi. Ben clearly worked on the film for a total of about a day and a half. Nice work if you can get it, I suppose.

The first half is very good stuff but you get the feeling that there was never a clear idea where the film was going. The DVD includes the original ending which is possibly a bit better but seems to have been taken out (for fear of being melodramatic, perhaps). This is a giveaway, really. However, the feeling of everything falling apart in the last 20 minutes is genuine, whatever the reason.

Good to see Ribisi getting the chance to carry a film; he is sympathetic and believable. Heavyweight stuff from Vin Diesel as well, and I was glad to see Ron Rifkin, who was so effective in a small role as Ellis Loew in "LA Confidential", getting another decent part. A more than satisfactory rental.

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

This film owes a credit to Glengarry Glenn Ross and Wall Street, but I actually liked this better. Why? Because it seemed more real to me (the script and acting probably did it) than the other films. I liked the Giovanni Ribisi character, who changes slightly through the film, but eventually we see the real side of him, which is great. Funny, thrilling and cool, this film may not be for the weak at heart, but it is for anyone who can afford the tickets. Ben Affleck appears (in one of his better performances) as Ribisi's showy and pushy boss at the stock place. One of the better films (top 20) of the new year. A+