Rating: 
Summary: Boiling Hot?
Review: This movie was packed full of action and suspense - but not in your usual, run-of-the-mill way. It has to do with the Stock Market. I'm kind of young, so I had to watch it about three or four times to finally understand all of it, and I still don't get everything about those stupid rips, but I have it down pretty good. It was awesome. Seth Davis is played by Giovanni Ribisi, who is a very under-rated actor, and he plays his role perfectly. He manages to pull off that little helpless I'm-a-boy-who-messes-up-a-lot persona really well, and Ben Affleck, though I don't like him, was really superb in his small role. I also clap for the fact that they had an interracial couple in the movie - especially one so cute together.
The reason I rated this four and not five is because of two things: though I love my Vin Diesel, he cannot pull off a stock market guy in a business suit (which I think was the whole point, but still, either way he pulls it off really, really bad). And also, it's a bit boring for those who don't have the patience to sit through it.
Rating: 
Summary: Fantastic roles
Review: This was a very fun movie. Giovanni Ribisi (Saving Private Ryan, The Other Sister) has always impressed me with his ability to portray anyone and make the character totally believable. Other than Saving Private Ryan, this is the only role of Vin Diesel's that I have been impressed with. He had a very easy-to-like character and he played it well. Ben Affleck was great in this as well. He had a very powerful and intimidating character and brought a lot of life to Boiler Room. This was a very blue movie, and the colors, lighting, and cinematography stayed creative and fun throughout the entire movie. Beware though. If you are easily offended by profanity, you might want to sit this one out. Its R rating reflects pervasive strong language, and some brief drug content.
Rating: 
Summary: Boring Room
Review: I thought this movie would be better than it was. I'm sorry I bought it. I was hoping Vin DIesel would be in it a little more. Good storyline for the most part. If you want to see this movie, rent it and then decide if you want to buy it.
Rating:
Summary: Good fiction!
Review: This is a great movie. After being a futures investor, broker, and author for 11 years, some of the elements of the movie rang true. In Giovanni Ribisi I saw a lot of my own naivete. I started out at 17 y.o., and the atmosphere was just as intoxicating. Unfortunately, a lot of the constant cold calling is very real, and putting young inexperienced guys on the phone with clients is typical of the industry. I really liked how they showed how the personal life of one of the investor's was falling apart. In this time of Enron's scandal and corporate analysts misleading investors there was some poignant moments that showed how people's lives are ruined by investments.Vin Diesel puts in a good performance. Too bad he went the action star route, he had some good dramatic scenes.
Rating:
Summary: La-hoved this movie!
Review: I will admit that when this movie first came out I didn't pay much attention to it. I bought it because of Vin, but as it turns out I would buy it even without him. Giovanni Ribisi has always been on the list of actors that I liked. He always seemed to play the same not-quite-there guy. This was a big (and good) change for him. His performance was great. And Ben, could I love his character more? Fun-ny. Good movie, highly recommended.
Rating:
Summary: I liked it
Review: I really did like the film though the characterization of the girlfriend and Vin Diesel aren't as strong as their personalities make their roles seem. Ribisi as always is really good, his ability to be both canny and wounded seems to be his best twist and at the same time, you can see a thoughtful character at work. The question of if Ribisi stays a small time illegal game promoter is morally equal to being a stock broker who sells things that don't exist, isn't as sanguine as the film would like it to be. The judgmental hand of the gov't federal agents turning him into a stool pidgeon seems a bit too contrived and happens too out of the blue.
Ben Affleck makes a nice appearance and the way the director uses innocent young faces within the context of such a intelligent, engrossing film that makes you want more of the characters at the end. And thats the mark of a great film.
Rating:
Summary: Well-acted, hilarious, and interesting.
Review: This is a funny, entertaining, and even accurate picture of the sleazy side of Wall Street. I don't mean that it portrays reputable Wall Street firms, who would never do the things that this movie portrays. But there are investment scam "chop shop" firms like the one in this movie that exist solely to bilk the public. That is what this movie is about. Seth Davis is a young "ne'er do well" looking to start a career on Wall Street. He joins a firm "JT Marlin" which promises him that if he works his tail off he will be driving a Porsche and living the good life. It sounds too good to be true, and alas it is. The flick really does a great job of showing how a "boiler room" scam might operate--maybe the movie actually helped educate the public, I don't know. I do know that this movie is great entertainment. (In the movie it is explained that JT Marlin deliberately named itself to confuse the public with JP Morgan--note that JP Morgan is a reputable firm which would never do the things that this movie portrays. But there are real JT Marlins out there screwing people.) Ben Affleck is hilarious as the JT Marlin firm Trainer--the guy responsible for turning young ignorant trainees into seasoned scamsters. Some people have said that Affleck can't act--well, in this movie he is absolutely a scream; very effective and convincing. While his role is not a major one, it is an essential one and really was the high point of the movie, at least for me. This movie is really nothing like "Wall Street" (which it lampoons a little bit--very funny) but that's OK--it is great entertainment and the young cast of mostly unknowns does a fine job. If you work in the securities industry you will love this movie. If you don't, you will likely still love it.
Rating:
Summary: ABC: Always be closing
Review: Giovanni Ribisi may be an underrated actor, and his work in this drama proves that. This movie may reside in the contrasts of the 1987 hit "Wall Street" for many people, but I think it's better than that. First-time director Ben Younger does a great job with a distinguished cast and a sometimes slow plot. Seth Davis (Ribisi) is one of the people you have to love. He's rebelious, he's a dreamer, and he's smart. By running an illegal casino out of his apartment, he's able to obtain a living, and a good one at that. And when an old friend drops in on him to offer him a job he can't refuse, the story takes shape. The job he is offered is to become a stock broker. He'd have to start training for it, but eventually somewhere down the line he'd become rich. All this information is given to him by the owner, or 'motivator', played by none other than Ben Affleck. About 1.5 of the 3 stars given to this movie are because of Affleck's speech towards the beginning of this movie. I love it. The way he explains the job and the job's benefits using curse words and Lexus-payment analogies could make anyone want to become a stock broker. I probably rewind the part twice each time I watch the movie. But maybe I'm exaggerating a bit, the entire movie is great; not just that part. And aside from the appearance of Ben Affleck, the movie gives us more actors galore. "XXX" star Vin Diesel co-stars as Chris Varick, who sort of takes Seth under his wing and shows him some well-deserved respect. Also, there's funnyman Jamie Kennedy, Scott Caan (who teamed up with Ribisi in "Gone In 60 Seconds" of the same year), and Nia Long. Once you get past Affleck's infamous speech and the stellar cast of stars, there's actually a good movie. The plot is well-developed and the ending is really fitting. I'm not going to say much about the ending but I will say it's similar to that of "Wall Street"; maybe slightly better. In conclusion, Giovanni Ribisi proves he can handle a starring role. And he doesn't need the perfect story to make it work. If you liked "Wall Street" or if you like Ben Affleck, you will view this movie as a wonderful piece of film. I'm sure you'll love it. And even if you didn't like "Wall Street" or you hate Affleck, still watch this movie for Ribisi's performance alone. It's one of the best of 2000.
Rating:
Summary: A great example of what not to do in life.
Review: I liked this film very much. Every moment of Seth Davis' life is consumed with getting approval from his Dad. And not until he realizes that the only one he needs to please is himself, did he see that his life was going down hill and he needed to change. Seth's devil-take-care attitude is just another brillant way to survive. He runs a successful casino from his apartment, joins an illegal brokerage firm and gets in so deep he only finds a way out when he joins forces with the FBI.
Rating:
Summary: great sales tool
Review: 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.
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