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Boiler Room
Seth goes at it like a scrapper mutt in a junk yard: all brains and savvy, rooting out the game plan with natural smarts that far surpass any of the pure bred brokers in the firm. But of course Seth, the son of a judge, has what nobody else appears to have: a conscience. As Seth climbs the ladder of success, he begins to unravel the mystery of J.T. Marlin. Writer/director Ben Younger makes a definite point that the movies we see do affect and shape who we become, like the scene where the young brokers gather to watch Wall Street and recite the Michael Douglas greed speech line by line. Younger also draws an interesting portrait of white boys who attach themselves to hip hop culture, using the angst like instant coffee to fuel a heatless fire. So they say Fuck You by selling fake stocks to the rich white men they detest. It's no different from picking pockets or robbing banks except that they can hide it better. They can dress up in suits and appear to be on the up and up. Younger's characters are somewhat reminiscent of the Dead End kids from the 1930s movies, and your heart tugs a bit for them, particularly when they're teased by "real" stock brokers, for not wearing the right suits or working for the right company. Also, they solve their problems with their fists, getting in bar room brawls everywhere they go. Younger has an assured hand with direction and writing, but he is especially good with his actors. Vin Diesel shows his range by playing a friendly, warm big brother to Seth. Nia Long as Abby, the firm's receptionist, is the not-so-subtle reminder of "real black people with real problems." Long more than holds her ground among all of those men.
All in all, Boiler Room is a solid debut for a man who's found something old to say and a new way to say it. And he's not even 30.
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When
the film begins, Seth (versitile Giovanni Ribisi), the son of a judge,
has dropped out of college to run an illegal gambling casino from his
apartment. He's making bucketfuls of money, well more than he could ever
make flipping burgers or checking out videos to the locals. But his father
doesn't see it that way; his son is breaking the law, and the tender-hearted
Seth can't help but feel the dent of his father's disapproval. So he takes
an offer to join J.T. Marlin, a chum bucket of wanna-be stock brokers
who guarantee their employees (provided they follow a few simple rules)
that they will make their first million within three years.
The
film's star, Ribisi, the next Ed Norton, has a mystery about him that
works well for the character of Seth. You never know what's coming next
on that creamy, droopy expressive face of his. Is he going to fly into
a rage or burst into tears?