Ben Younger's 2000 directorial debut could be easily called one of the predecessors of "The Wolf of Wall Street." The plot follows a bunch of young men, freshly graduated and hungry for success, who join the brokerage firm J.T. Marlin and begin to aggressively sell stocks to unassuming clients. They thrive on the job, chasing the promise made by the company's co-founder, Jim Young (Ben Affleck), to become millionaires within three years.
"Boiler Room" introduces these characters who look at Gordon Gekko from Oliver Stone's classic, "Wall Street" as a role model. They ruthlessly trick people into buying large amounts of stocks, hoping to get rich. The scale is a lot smaller here than at Stratton Oakmont, and nobody comes close to Leonardo DiCaprio's extravagant depiction of Jordan Belfort, but not for the lack of trying. The movie features an ensemble cast, including Giovanni Ribisi, Vin Diesel, Scott Caan, Nia Long, Ron Rifkin, and Affleck. If you want to see another intriguing take on the dynamics of a brokerage firm, "Boiler Room" is an excellent choice.
