In the 1980s, when the term "initial public offering" became part of the cultural lexicon, there were a number of shady brokerage firms such as D.L. Blair and Stratton Oakmont. Their "hot" stock picks always seemed to go belly-up, if the companies that they were touting even existed at all. Nonetheless, these brokerage firms made millions preying on naive investors hoping to get rich quick, until the Securities and Exchange Commission shut them down. The new film "Boiler Room" is a graphic look at the players who work at a fictitious, sleazy Dix Hills brokerage firm called J. T. Marlin.

Seth Davis (Giovanni Ribisi) is a 19 year-old Queens College dropout who runs an illegal casino out of his second floor apartment in Kew Gardens Hills. Seth's father, Marty Davis (Ron Rifkin), is a federal judge, ashamed of his son's rudderless life. More than anything else, Seth craves the respect of his dad.

Seth's life is changed when two flashy, Ferrari-driving guys, Greg (Nicky Katt) and Chris (Vin Diesel), pay a visit to his casino. Greg and Chris are top grossing producers at J.T. Marlin and sense that Seth is exactly the type of hustler that their firm needs. Even though Seth is an illegal gaming entrepreneur, his clients do occasionally win. As a broker at Marlin, however, it is his job to make sure that his clients never come out ahead, since his responsibility to the firm is to unload worthless securities on naive investors.

"Boiler Room" is a fast-paced two hours which features terrific supporting acting from upcomers such as Nicky Katt and Vin Diesel, as well as veteran New York stage actor Ron Rifkin. The weak link in this film, however, is moon-faced actor Giovanni Ribisi in the lead role. Ribisi has a voice eerily similar to that of buffoonish comedy actor Pauly Shore and a face reminiscent of the late character actor Peter Lorre. In "Boiler Room," Ribisi states his lines as if he has just woken up and is reading from cue cards.

"Boiler Room" is a very good film. Had another actor played the part of Seth Davis, it probably would have been a great one.
Boiler Room

Written & Directed by Ben Younger

reviewed by Lloyd Carroll