BY
Ben Younger

Ben Younger

The seeds of "Boiler Room" were sown some five years before its release, when Younger was approached with a too-good-to-be-true promise of big payoffs for hard work as a stock broker, much like his protagonist Seth (Giovanni Ribisi). Just minutes into the recruiting process, Younger knew that the firm was crooked and that what he was witnessing would make for an interesting film project. In 2000, upon the release of the "Boiler Room," it turned out that many critics agreed, praising this story of a hardworking and ambitious ne'er-do-well who thinks he finds the key to quick money and his father's approval with a job in a Long Island brokerage firm. While similar in subject to "Wall Street" and "Glengarry Glen Ross," "Boiler Room" had an unmistakable contemporary feel and a working-class sensibility. Younger's brokers were gangster-idolizing outer-borough self-starters just out of their teens, from good but far from privileged families, who would have to make their way in the business world on their own; nepotism and Ivy League societies wouldn't be their ticket in. The filmmaker's affection both for New York City and its inhabitants was evident in the film through both his writing and directing capacities, creating likable if misguided characters and including captivating and significant location shots. While this was only his debut feature film, Younger displayed an assurance and proficiency with the medium that belied his neophyte status and emerged as one to watch, a talent with promising vision.
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