Boiler Room **** (2000, Giovanni Ribisi, Vin Diesel, Nia Long, Ron Rifkin, Ben Affleck, Scott Caan) – Classic Movie Review 296

‘Anybody who tells you money is the root of all evil doesn’t have any.’ – Jim Young.

Writer-director Ben Younger’s 2000 incisive and timely condemnation of the get-rich-quick, tread-on-anybody yuppie lifestyle Boiler Room has its rough edges. But it’s a boiler room powerhouse of sizzling acting, intelligent dialogue and thoughtful, provocative scripting.

Judge Marty Davis (Ron Rifkin)’s college dropout son Seth (Giovanni Ribisi) gets a job as a broker for a Long Island suburban investment company. He seems to be on the fast track to success, but the company’s dodgy and the job not legitimate. So he soon finds himself getting involved in their highly organised scam to promote dodgy stocks through high-pressure phone sales.

Ribisi is outstanding in a career-best performance and Rifkin is also excellent as his judge father and there are good roles for Ben Affleck (as Jim Young) and Vin Diesel (Chris Varick) as Ribisi’s fellow scammers. It is Diesel’s best piece of acting ever.

Nia Long, Tom Everett Scott, Nicky Katt, Scott Caan, Jamie Kennedy, John Griesemer and David Young are also in the fine ensemble cast.

Boiler Room is a riveting, memorable drama that racks the tension up to boiling point.

Boiler Room is directed by Ben Younger, runs 118 minutes, is made by Team Todd, is released by New Line, is written by Ben Younger, is shot by Enrique Chediak, is produced by Richard Brenner, Jennifer Todd and Suzanne Todd, is scored by The Angel and is designed by Anne Stuhler.

Younger’s only other film up to 2013 is the 2005 comedy Prime with Meryl Streep and Uma Thurman. But it was finally followed by Bleed for This (2016). He was inspired to create Boiler Room after a job interview with a broker firm.

© Derek Winnert 2013 Classic Movie Review 296

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