Rating: 
Summary: Stock market expose has its high and lows
Review: Boiler Room is one of the flashiest and most intense dramas of the year, though the flash part becomes a bit much. It's hard to imagine that a subject like the stock market could be the subject of such a movie, but, like Wall Street, its themes are greed and corruption, which are always interesting. It is also the story of a young man who finds that life's roads can be rocky when you are lacking in morals and values. I don't mean religious morals or family values. I mean the basic, common ones that make society function properly. It is also a story of redemption. Seth Davis [Giovanni Ribisi] is a really bright young man. When the movie opens, we see him in the midst of his most successful business idea. He has two professional black jack tables in his New York townhouse, and his tiny casino is making him a lot of money. The operation is illegal, but at least Seth is running an honest game, one that is open to kids of any age with some bucks. Problems arise when he goes to his family's house for dinner. Somehow his father [Ron Rifkin], a Federal judge, has found out not only that Seth's dropped out of college, but also about his little operation. The father is typical of many, who love their sons, but do not know how to communicate with them except by ranting at them when they do wrong. Dad points out that Seth has put his judgeship in jeopardy, which is true, but guilt is never the best way to handle such situations. Seth loves his Dad but seems to suffer from what psychologists call adolescent maladjustment reaction, which means that when a child can't get attention for doing good, he or she may turn to getting it by doing bad. A few days later, an old friend of Seth's brings in a really high roller, who arrives in a new Ferrari. The new customer turns out to be a successful stockbroker, and the friend has just started working for the same company. Impressed by Seth's business smarts, the broker points out that at some point the casino will be busted. Why doesn't he come to work for his firm? Hoping to win his father's favor, Seth takes the job, even though from the first day, he instinctively knows something is amiss at this brokerage. For one thing, it's way out on Long Island instead of in Manhattan. The brokers call people they don't know and use high pressure tactics. A legit company never does this. The reason everyone is becoming millionaires is that the firm is paying commissions four times the legal limit in America. Seth sticks around, becoming the firm's top new recruit. Meanwhile, the guy is beginning to realize he possess something he didn't think he had - a conscious. This is where the dilemma comes in. Seth knows he has gone from the frying pan into the fire, but what about all that money? At this point, the movie gets really interesting. What about his future now? And what about his father? There are some flaws in Boiler Room. It is hard to believe that a corrupt company this large and flamboyant could operate so long undetected. I think the firm is a metaphor for our times, where the frenzy to get rich quick has become appalling. If so, this metaphor is not stated clearly enough for many viewers to get. Director Ben Younger must be from Hollywood's favorite new film school, the world of music videos. There is a point where jump shots and flashy editing go too far and serve as a reminder of the director's training and ego. On the plus side, much of the story is electric and engrossing. The cast is mainly composed of dedicated actors, like Ribisi, Vin Diesel and Nia Long, who seem to take what they consider to be the best roles, not necessarily the best paying ones.
Rating: 
Summary: Didn't see it in the theatre? Well try again.
Review: Adored by critics, neglected by the masses, Boiler Room is a surprisingly smart, Gen X look at the world of illegal stock trading. Seth (smartly-played by Giovanni Ribisi) is a college dropout running a casino out of his apartment in New York. He's frazzled but making more than enough to get by. He seems destined to continue down this route until a fateful night an old friend and drops in for a game or two. Seth is enthralled with the lovely yellow Ferarri parked outside and from that point on Seth finds himself seduced by the cut-throat world of J. T. Marlin and Associates. Seth shoots to the top and things seem to go well until Seth starts asking a lot of questions and finding that he actually has scruples. Excellent acting from a talented cast and a surprisingly juxtaposed soundtrack make this a worthwhile viewing of what could have been a dull, dry exploration of the marketing world.
Rating:
Summary: No Matter What It Takes, Make The Sale
Review: Movie Summary: Seth Davis is a college dropout who desires above all things approval from his father. But running an illegal casino in his apartment isn't going to get it, so he shuts it down and takes a job with the stockbrokers of J.T. Marlin in an effort to go legit. Here in the high-pressure world of stock sales, Seth thrives. He's good at it. But will his father finally approve, or has Seth moved from one gambling business to another? My Opinion: I liked Boiler Room. This was mainly due to the stars Giovanni Ribisi and Vin Diesel both of who are excellent in this movie. I am a big fan of both of these actors and they do net let down here. The camaraderie between the guys in the group of brokers that Seth calls his friends is very believable. It makes you care what happens to them. The pressure in the boiler room of the sales office is palpable. It comes off the screen and grabs you. The relationship between Seth and his father is what drives Seth. He is drawn to his father's approval like a moth to a flame. But this moth knows better and can't help himself. The plot progresses in a believable and logical fashion leaving no holes. The direction leaves nothing to be desired. In the end, I found the movie to be very entertaining and I enjoyed it completely. DVD Quality: Video: Widescreen anamorphic - 1.85:1 Sound: Decent with a cool soundtrack. Extras: Trailer, Commentary, Deleted Scenes and Alternate ending that flesh out the story. Menus: Basic. What You Should Do: Rent this one to make sure you like it before a purchase. It's worth the price of the rental. It could be considered a guy movie though with the only two female roles. Related Movies To Check Out: Wall Street, The Fast and the Furious, Pitch Black
Rating: 
Summary: This movie will get your adrenaline pumping!!
Review: What more can I say? This movie is fast paced and high energy. If you love money, and who doesn't, this is the movie for you. Ben Affleck plays a small part but does an excellent job.
Rating:
Summary: It was entertaining
Review: I don't know, the movie was entertaining but anyone calling this the best movie of any period whatsoever is completely out of their gord. It sort of reminds me of Varsity Blues (it's probably the same director or writer or something but I really didn't care that much about either film to check) in that it takes something really cool (the stock market, instant millionaires/being a star quarterback in a major Texas High School) puts some cool action/witty dialogue together, and then strings a weak plot underneath it all (corrupt firm/corrupt coach). Add in the soundtrack and the whole dad thing and it's basically the same film with a new topic. Which I guess they basically ripped off Wall Street for. Which isn't to say the movie wasn't fun to watch -- it was, but it wasn't that great. The two high ranking guys in the firm, that guy from "That Thing You Do" or whatever and Ben Affleck were pretty god-dang laughable. I guess I don't find a bunch of wannabe scammers who act like they're all hard to be a very impressive lot, even if they do end up with the money. I also thought the idea of being a stock broker of selling "white man's crack" to be just ridiculous. But then hey -- I thought the hook and ladder as unbeatable/unknown football play in Varsity Blues to be pretty ridiculous as well. Not bad for a rental though.
Rating:
Summary: One of the Greatest Movies Ever
Review: I have seen this movie a good 30 times now yet if I were to watch it right now, I would still be as entertained as if it were my first time. I worked at a credit card company consolidating balances and if we were able to use lines from this movie as sales pitches... I would have been making five times my commission. This movie is entertaining, smart and has a realistic plot to it (since it was based on a true story). Movies such as this and Wall Street display how being a stock broker can be a dream job. How could you turn down a job where the first thing the tell you as you walk in the door is "there is no question as to will you make a million dollars, the question is how many times over"? I would recomend this movie to anyone who is intelligent enough to enjoy it. It is a great addition to any DVD collection and a pesonal favorite of mine.
Rating:
Summary: Glengarry Glen Danzig
Review: Giovanni Ribisi leads a spirited cast in this hip-hop and testosterone-fueled tale about a slick but somewhat seedy Long Island brokerage firm. As if to head the critics off at the pass, the filmmaker drops numerous references to "Wall Street" and "Glengarry Glen Ross" with a rather self-concious, heavy-handed thud. (We get it...we GET it, already!) The film's strongest moments come from the "day at the office" scenes--from Ben Affleck's harangues at the trainees to the silver-tongued devilry of the more seasoned brokers as they "close" on unsuspecting marks. There are also some spirited (verbal and physical) exchanges illustrating the caste system that exists between the blue-collar Long Islanders and the trendier upscale Manhattanites. What doesn't work here is the subplot involving Ribisi and his father (Ron Rifkin)... thier scenes together seem underwritten. Also, when an FBI agent pops up halfway through the film, it becomes a little too obvious how its all going to end up. Entertaining, but not the best of the genre.
Rating:
Summary: Way to go Giovanni
Review: This movie is awesome and has some great guys in it...Vin Diesel,Ben Affleck, Scott Caan....
I think this is one of Giovanni's best performances by far.
The movie changes tones throughout it which makes it very watchable and entertaining -- just as any "stock market" movie is
I loved the fact that it was based and taped in New York City and Long Island -- A must see for all New Yorkers !!
It is just a great story about a young naive kid trying to get rich quick , but comes out clean in the end !!
Rating:
Summary: And many miss the point...
Review: Not every movie about Wall St. is supposed to be a remake of "Wall St." That wouldn't make any sense. First off, this movie is based on an actual firm that operated in Long Island a couple of years back. I've got to give the film credit. I saw this one while I was a commodity broker. I was able to predict the lines that the brokers/broker trainers were about to say so they did their research. I think that it would have benefitted the film to include scenes from other "legit" firms just so one could compare and contrast to figure out just exactly were the elements of fraud because now, every individual that's cold-called will think back to this movie. I did appreciate the appearance made by Nia Long, and the interactions between the brokers and the prospective clients were so on point. Excellent. This isn't a blockbuster hit, but it's a good movie.
Rating:
Summary: Chasing dollars and respect
Review: An interesting glimpse into the alpha-male world of a sleazy stock firm. Writer/director Ben Younger is adept at portraying the testerone-drenched, competitive milieu that the characters inhabit. For them, both work and play are ultimately about proving who has the largest male equipment, and whether anyone else gets hurt in their quest for self-aggrandizement is entirely beside the point. Giovanni Ribisi is a weak but essentially decent person who gets caught up in this high-stakes world until he is finally forced to look at the morality of his behavior. His scenes with Ron Rifkin, who plays his father, are very well done. Some have criticized this film by writing that it merely goes over the same ground as "Wall Street" and "Glengarry Glen Ross." My response: so what? Materialism and greed are hugely relevant topics in contemporary American society and the film that is such a masterpiece that it says everything there is to say on the topic will never be made. Besides, those films are nearly twenty years old; the characters in "Boiler Room" were in grade school when they were released. This film is "Wall Street" for the current generation. Whether it's a better or worse film is for each individual to decide for himself, but they both certainly deal with subject matter that every generation must confront.
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