RottenTomatoes.com
Log In | Register | What is RT?
Check out the new RT Community
  • Home
  • Movies
  • DVD
  • Celebrities
  • News
  • Critics
  • Trailers & Pictures
  • CommunityBeta
  • Box Office
  • | In Theaters
  • | Opening
  • | Upcoming
  • | Best Of
  • | Certified Fresh
  • | Showtimes
RT Search Powered by Google
help icon Enhanced RT
searches on Google
Click here to turn on enhanced search results from RT on your Google searches.
 
Movies / On DVD / Boiler Room
Boiler Room

Rate this Movie Help Icon

  • Write a Review
  • Read Reviews
  • Add to List
  • Get this Movie
  • Buy Poster External Icon
  • Visit Official Site External Icon
  • Bookmark and Share

Boiler Room (2000)

  • T-Meter Critics
  • Top Critics
  • RT Community
  • My Critics
  • My Friends
  • DVD
67 %
Tomatometer

How does the Tomatometer work Help Icon

Reviews Counted: 94

Fresh: 63

Rotten:31

Average Rating: 6.4/10

Consensus: Even though the ending to Boiler Room is conveniently too nice and tidy, the writing and brisk pacing will keep you entertained.

Runtime: 2 hrs

Genre: Dramas

Synopsis: Welcome to the infamous "boiler room" - where twentysomething millionaires are made overnight. Here, in the inner sanctum of a fly-by-night brokerage firm, hyper-aggressive young stockjocks peddle... Welcome to the infamous "boiler room" - where twentysomething millionaires are made overnight. Here, in the inner sanctum of a fly-by-night brokerage firm, hyper-aggressive young stockjocks peddle to unsuspecting buyers over the phone - and are rewarded with mansions, Ferraris and more luxury toys than they know what to do with. In this unassuming Long Island enclave, Gen Xers chase the green at breakneck speeds, sometimes one step ahead of the law.

19 year-old college drop-out Seth Davis (Giovanni Ribisi) has just joined the inner circle of the boiler room boys - fired-up young men who get off on the adrenaline rush, the silver-tongued lingo, the ego boost of finagling hard sales for outrageous commissions. Seth wants to earn just two things in life: a million dollars and his perpetually disappointed father's respect. After failing to do either one by running an illicit casino out of his Queens apartment, Seth has decided to go legit by joining the only brokerage firm that promises him a fast road to the top.

At first the boiler room seems the perfect way to ride the monster economic wave of the '90s to riches, success and parental approval. Seth sports a suit and tie, works extreme hours and passes the stockbroker exams with record scores. Heīs fast on his feet, has a sharp cold-calling style and it seems as if his bank account - and his worth as a good son - are about to rise.

Soon Seth is hanging out with his boiler room buddies including Chris (Vin Diesel), a millionaire broker whose mouth is as fast as his money, and Greg (Nicky Katt), Sethīs arrogant and envious mentor. He even begins to date the firmīs receptionist, Debbie (Nia Long). And like everyone there, he feeds on the greed and fear of unsuspecting investors, selling them stocks they never wanted.

But as Seth watches his colleagues get richer and his customers get poorer, he begins to wonder just what makes the money go round at the Boiler Room. His insatiable curiosity leads to a series of fatal choices and a Federal investigation that brings him to the brink of losing everything - not just his friends, his job and the millions promised him, but his father. The longer Seth stays in the boiler room, the more things begin to heat up.

Boiler Room is a riveting expose of one of the biggest and most lucrative scams in American history - and a dramatic look at a generation obsessed with the speed of wealth and success. The film is written and directed by newcomer Ben Younger. The ensemble cast also includes Ben Affleck as the head recruiter, Tom Everett Scott as the investment firmīs boyish leader, Ron Rifkin as Sethīs father, as well as Scott Caan, Jamie Kennedy as the ambitious boiler room boys and Taylor Nichols as a victim of their ambition. Produced by Suzanne and Jennifer Todd, Boiler Room is a Team Todd production for New Line Cinema. [More]

Starring: Giovanni Ribisi, Vin Diesel, Ben Affleck, Jamie Kennedy

Starring: Giovanni Ribisi, Vin Diesel, Ben Affleck, Jamie Kennedy, Scott Caan, Ron Rifkin, Nicky Katt, Nia Long, Taylor Nichols, Tom Everett Scott, David Younger

Director: Ben Younger

Director: Ben Younger
Screenwriter: Ben Younger
Producer: Jennifer Todd, Suzanne Todd
Composer: Angel

[See More Credits]

  • Trailers
  • Pictures
1 - 5 of 15

See More Movie Trailers & Pictures

Get This Movie

Rent DVD
 
 

Click on the "ADD" button to put this movie into your Netflix queue. Or if you don't want to wait, you can click on the "PLAY" button and watch it right now!

 
 
Buy DVD
 
 
Release:

Jul 18, 2000

No Details Exist
 
 

Reviews for Boiler Room

  • T-Meter Critics
  • Top Critics
  • RT Community
  • My Critics
  • My Friends
  • DVD
 
 
1 - 20 (sorted by date)
Text View | 1 2 3 4 5 >> >|
Arrange By: Fresh | Rotten | Comments | Name | Source | Date
 
 

Almost liked this one about greedy, young stockbrokers working for an illegal firm, but hated the ending so much it derailed the movie.

Full Review Source: Sacramento News & Review | comment Comment
08/07/08
Bob Grimm
Sacramento News & Review

...bad films are common enough that it's probably worth making distinctions between the unwatchable and the guilty pleasure.

Full Review Source: Arkansas Democrat-Gazette | comment Comment
10/29/07
Philip Martin
Arkansas Democrat-Gazette

A skillful and convincing rise-and-fall story.

Full Review Source: eFilmCritic.com | comment Comment
07/23/07
Rob Gonsalves
eFilmCritic.com

A confident movie that tackles a worthwhile topic with insight and conviction.

Full Review Source: Film Journal International | comment Comment
01/03/07
Daniel Eagan
Film Journal International

Turns of dialogue ring compellingly true, and the well chosen cast (especially Ribisi) carry the inflections of the drama with some style.

Full Review Source: Time Out | comment Comment
06/24/06
Time Out

I'm sold.

Full Review Source: Arizona Daily Star | comment Comment
01/13/06
Phil Villarreal
Arizona Daily Star

Affleck's first scene is obviously a copy of Alec Baldwin's Oscar worthy cameo from GlenGarry, the only problem being the glaring omission of any acting talent in Affleck's limited repertoire.

Full Review Source: Film Threat | comment Comment
12/06/05
Anthony Miele
Film Threat

Ribisi does a fine job opposite a typically goofy Jaime Kennedy, a typically sociopathic Scott Cann, and a surprisingly likeable Vin Diesel.

Full Review Source: Film Threat | comment Comment
12/06/05
Ron Wells
Film Threat

Vin Diesel steals nearly every scene he is in as Chris, one of the top earners in the firm and the only one who still has a heart.

Full Review Source: Reeling Reviews | comment Comment
04/09/05
Robin Clifford
Reeling Reviews

An engaging actors' showcase wrapped around a warm and fuzzy morality play. Entertaining and fast-paced but ultimately not wound quite tightly enough to be the thriller it would like to be.

Full Review Source: Entertainment Today | comment Comment
07/18/03
Brent Simon
Entertainment Today

Boiler Room is a new kind of triumph: never has a film been so successfully derivative.

Full Review Source: Film Blather | comment Comment
05/22/03
Eugene Novikov
Film Blather

Ribisi is magnificent as a wide-eyed innocent who transitions into a slick veteran pitchman.

Full Review Source: Palo Alto Weekly | comment Comment
05/14/03
Jeanne Aufmuth
Palo Alto Weekly

Ben Younger, who not only wrote and directed this film, but plays a minor part as one of the traders, has crafted an intense thriller about this often risky business.

Full Review Source: Film Quips Online | comment Comment
02/08/03
John R. McEwen
Film Quips Online

Although Boiler Room occasionally feels more like a 60 Minutes expose than a movie, it adds up to a highly watchable, entertaining (though extremely profane) cautionary tale.

Full Review Source: Cincinnati Enquirer | comment Comment
10/15/02
Margaret A. McGurk
Cincinnati Enquirer

Boiler Room grips you early, with its fascinating insights and Younger's appropriation of hip hop music and his snappy, jump-cut-y visual style, and it hardly ever let go.

Full Review Source: Montreal Film Journal | comment Comment
09/10/02
Kevin N. Laforest
Montreal Film Journal

Perhaps in an attempt to ape David Mamet's "Glengarry Glen Ross," Younger's script is proudly profane and goes out of its way to make almost all the major characters thoroughly unpleasant. But Mamet's work had real bite and fire...

Full Review Source: Kalamazoo Gazette | comment Comment
06/21/02
James Sanford
Kalamazoo Gazette

Boiler Room's greatest strength is its energy level. Every scene clips along at the pace and energy level of the world in which it's set.

Full Review Source: Boxoffice Magazine | comment Comment
06/05/02
Annlee Ellingson
Boxoffice Magazine

To put the movie in sales terms, after a good opening pitch, Younger fails to close the deal. The audience can't buy in.

Full Review Source: Globe and Mail | comment Comment
03/19/02
Liam Lacey
Globe and Mail
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

The efforts of one unhappy young man to win the love of his father.

Full Review Source: Spirituality and Practice | comment Comment
03/13/02
Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat
Spirituality and Practice

Ribisi, such a promising supporting actor in Saving Private Ryan as a medic and Friends as Phoebe's dopey brother, doesn't seem a big enough presence for a starring role yet.

Full Review Source: Sight and Sound | comment Comment
03/03/02
John Wrathall
Sight and Sound
 
 
1 - 20 (sorted by date)
Text View | 1 2 3 4 5 >> >|
See More Topics...

Related Forums for Boiler Room

Click here to be the first to post a message on this forum.

See All

More DVDs

Close
Top Rentals
Tomatometer Percentage Movie
79%
79%
Gran Torino
30%
30%
12 Rounds
23%
23%
Confessions of a Shopa…
—
The Code
39%
39%
Inkheart

More Rentals…

New On DVD This Week
Tomatometer Percentage Movie
22%
22%
Push
12%
12%
The Unborn

More New Releases…

RT On Current TV

What’s Hot On RT

Deconstructing Harry

Deconstructing Harry

Pt. 3: Cuaron's darker Prisoner of Azkaban

Best Mockumentaries

Best Mockumentaries

From Borat to Spinal Tap, this one goes to 11

Humpday Clip

Humpday Clip

An exclusive peek at the indie comedy!

Half-Blood Prince

Half-Blood Prince

How good is the 6th Harry Potter?

Other News

Close
  • Top Stories
  • Popular
  • Interviews
 
 

Comments

 
 
Top Stories
Headlines Comments
  
  • Weekly Ketchup: T.J. Hooker Film in Development
38
  • Warners Shortens Green Lantern Wishlist Source: Hollywood Reporter
134
  • Harold Ramis Talks Ghostbusters 3 Source: MakingOf.com
42
  • Spider-Man 4 Gets Its Third Writer Source: Latino Review
60
  • Warners Wins Favorable Ruling in Superman Case Source: Variety
20
  • Remo Williams Rides Again Source: Risky Biz
10
  • Mortal Kombat 3 Filming in September? Source: Slashfilm
82
  • MacGruber Gets a Director Source: Variety
39
  • PG-13 Turns 25 Source: VideoETA
8
  • Weekly Ketchup: Universal Takes on Asteroids
92
Popular
Headlines Comments
  
  • Deconstructing Harry, Day 3: Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
82
  • Deconstructing Harry, Day 1: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
67
  • Box Office Guru Wrapup: Transformers and Ice Age Tie for Top Spot
59
  • Deconstructing Harry, Day 2: Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
53
  • Total Recall: Mock Docs That Rock
46
  • Critics Consensus: Bruno is Certified Fresh
44
  • Tomatometer Watch: How Good is Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince?
44
  • Five Favorite Films with Kathryn Bigelow
39
  • RT on DVD: Knowing, Push, The Unborn Unleashed
28
  • Five Favourite Films with Jaime Winstone
20
Interviews
Headlines Comments
  
  • RT Interview: Director Carlos Cuaron on Rudo and Cursi
0
  • RT Interview: Tony Scott on The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3
10
  • Cannes 2009: RT Interview - Sally Hawkins on We Want Sex
2
  • RT Interview: Tilda Swinton on Julia
5
  • Hollywood Legend Debbie Reynolds Reflects On her Life in Showbiz
10
  • Exclusive: McG Talks Terminator Salvation
24
  • Georgia Groome - Fresh Talent on RT
5
  • RT Interview: Reading The Reader with Stephen Daldry
11
  • RT Interview: Oscar Nominee Melissa Leo
7
  • Carey Mulligan - Fresh Talent on RT
7
 
 

Sponsored Links

Around The Network

  • Boiler Room at Rotten Tomatoes

Fresh Links

Featured
Point-Counterpoint: Bruno
Point-Counterpoint: Bruno External Link

MSN's David Fear and Frank Paiva go head to head discussing the pros and cons of Bruno star Sacha Baron Cohen.

The New Cult Canon
The New Cult Canon External Link

The AV Club's Scott Tobias takes a second look at David Lynch's cult classic, Lost Highway.

Tom Cruise's 10 Best Roles
Tom Cruise's 10 Best Roles External Link

TIME takes us on a 25-year long journey into the superstar's career, giving us a look at his 10 best roles.

A Baywatch Comedy?
A Baywatch Comedy? External Link

BuzzSugar reports on Paramount's plans to rebirth the iconic TV show as a comedy film.

 
 
About| Site Map| Help| RT To Go| Contact Us| Critics Submission| Linking to RT| Licensing| Movie List| Games| Celebs List| Newsletter
IGN Logo

IGN.com | GameSpy | Comrade | Arena | FilePlanet | GameSpy Technology
TeamXbox | Planets | Vaults | VE3D | CheatsCodesGuides | GameStats | GamerMetrics
AskMen.com | Rotten Tomatoes | Direct2Drive | Green Pixels


By continuing past this page, and by the continued use of this site, you agree to be bound by and abide by the User Agreement.
Copyright 1998-2009, IGN Entertainment, Inc. About IGN | Support | Advertise | Privacy Policy | User Agreement | Subscribe to RT's XML feed! IGN RSS Feeds
IGN's enterprise databases running Oracle, SQL and MySQL are professionally monitored and managed by Pythian Remote DBA
Certain product data ©1995-present Muze, Inc. For personal use only. All rights reserved.