This page uses content from the Ben Younger biography page on the English version of Wikipedia and is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. This list of authors can be seen in the page history. Rotten Tomatoes disclaims any and all warranties as to the accuracy or reliability of the content.

Ben Younger (born 7 October, 1972 in Brooklyn, New York) is an American screenwriter and film director.

Career

Younger was raised in Brooklyn and educated at Queens College, part of the City University of New York, where he studied political science. While at university, he started performing stand-up comedy. After leaving university, he set his sights on a career in politics, taking on a role as a policy analyst for the New York City comptroller's office, where he served as a legislative aide to Alan Hevesi. After that, he successfully managed the State Assembly campaign for Queens Democrat Melinda Katz, becoming, at 21, the city's youngest ever campaign manager.

Despite his success, Younger became disenchanted with politics, and by 1995 started to seek a creative outlet that would rekindle the excitement he felt as a stand-up comedian. On a friend's advice, he wrote and directed two short films, L & M and Maestro, as well as working on a number of feature films as a grip, and directing music videos and commercials.

Boiler Room

In 1995, he attended an interview for a job in a brokerage firm, and immediately conceived the idea that went on to become his first film, Boiler Room. He spent a year researching the underground telemarketing brokerage industry as background for his screenplay.

Boiler Room, which he also directed, was released in 2000. A corporate drama in the mold of Wall Street and Glengarry Glen Ross, with colorful dialogue that some critics compared to David Mamet, the film exposed the shady world of "chop shops" (underground brokerage firms), and starred Giovanni Ribisi, Vin Diesel, Nicky Katt, Jamie Kennedy, and Ben Affleck.

Prime

Younger's second film, Prime (2005), is a romantic comedy about the relationship between a young Jewish man and an older gentile woman. The film stars Uma Thurman and Meryl Streep. The movie was prominently featured in the HBO show Unscripted because Bryan Greenberg, star of Unscripted was also the male lead in Prime. Younger appeared as himself in the episodes where the movie was featured.

Other activities

In addition to his film projects, Younger has been published in The New Yorker, and has sold a TV pilot to NBC.

Filmography

Features

• 2005 Prime
• 2000 Boiler Room

Shorts

• L & M
• Maestro

External links

• New York Times biography
• Bard of the Boiler Room - New York Metro feature
• Yahoo! biography
• The Prime of Ben Younger
• Interview at SuicideGirls.com

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