REVIEWS
"BOILER ROOM"
"Boiler Room" seems like it wants to be younger, hipper version
of "Glengarry Glen Ross." It's definitely younger, but I'm not so
sure about hipper. It's certainly not better (if you haven't seen "Glengarry
Glen Ross," I STRONGLY encourage you to do so... you won't find a better
movie out there that has such brilliant dialogue delivered so beautifully
by such great actors). Maybe it's trying to be a younger, hipper version of
Oliver Stone's "Wall Street." I've never seen "Wall Street,"
but based on what critics have said, as well as what was said by people I've
spoken to, it's a damn good movie. So it's probably safe to say that "Boiler
Room" isn't as good as "Wall Street." All in all, "Boiler
Room," which has a great cast, is a disappointment.
As I said, "Boiler Room" has a great cast. Giovanni Ribisi, who
has the lead role, is very good. However, I don't think he's ready to lead
a movie just yet. Vin Diesel, who just recently kicked ass in "Pitch
Black," once again proves that he's got lotsa talent. He's one to
keep an eye on. Jamie Kennedy, the one who plays "Randy," the film
geek in the "Scream" movies, is hardly in it, but his two seconds
are pretty amusing. Tom Everett Scott, who starred in "An American Werewolf
in Paris" (that wasn't a movie that I went outta my way to see), was
very good as the slimy ringleader. Ben Affleck, in a role very similar to
Alec Baldwin's in "Glengarry Glen Ross," is excellent. As a matter
of fact, he's the best thing in the movie. That guy is gonna achieve Tom Cruise-level
success, you watch.
"Boiler Room" was written and directed by Ben Younger, and this
is his debut film. Though I didn't like this movie all that much, I WILL say
that Ben Younger has a very good ear for dialogue. The dialogue is raw, edgy,
and realistic. Also, it's pretty funny. There's one scene where Giovanni Ribisi
is at home on the phone with a telemarketer, and their exchange is brilliant.
I didn't like the sappy stuff, though. It seemed outta place. There's an office
romance and some corny moments with Ribisi's father that I coulda done without.
The dialogue during those scenes seem forced.
Despite my opinion of the movie, I DO think that writer/director Ben Younger
has some promise. The dialogue is really good, and there's some unexpectedly
funny stuff in the movie. When his next movie comes out, I'll give the guy
another shot.
Scale of 1-10: 5