MOVIE BOILER ROOM (2000)
This is an American film which was written and directed by a 29 years man, Ben Young in the year 2000 after he carried out several interviews on brokers for duration of two years (Bernstein, 2005). Some of the performers in this movie are; Giovani Ribisi, the chief actor, Tom Everett Scot, Ron Rifkin, Scot Caan, Jamey Kennedy, Nia Long and Ben Affleck. The storyline revolves around a 19 years old dropout, Seth Davis who in the film is referred to as Ribisi whose father (Rifkini) is a judge by profession in New York (KIT 2011). Ribisi runs an illegitimate casino underground in his apartment without the knowledge of his father. However the business seems to earn him pleasant income, but the boy is disenchantment to his father. As his cousin Kennedy visits the casino one day, he introduces Ribisi to a rich man known as Katt who is later seen recruiting Ribisi into the brokerage organization which is located in the Long Island Expressway with a promise for greener pastures. With time Ribisi gets to learn from Affleck on ways in which he would become super rich and what he was likely to do in this kind of work. In the organization which he was now, just like any other organization being new he held the trainees position but for him to advance from this level he was required to pass a series of seven continuous tests. It is after the passing of these tests and having closed forty transactions that he would now be promoted to being an independent broker. His life takes another direction with him having to commit several crimes, one after another (Natoli 2003).
To start with, Seth (Ribisi) committed criminal fraud which is regarded as a felony crime that involves false pretense or persuasion into getting another person’s property or money. Eventually soon after he has been recruited he learns that the brokerage firm uses illegal form of acquiring money as they use their brokers to create artificial rise in demand of already terminated or fake companies.
Thus after they are done in inflating the stock and most investors have already bought these stocks the J. T. Merlin organization stops the pumping of these stocks hence the price lowers thus leaving the investors with no market where they would sell these stocks. So Ribisi becomes one of these illegal brokers and he uses the same method to scum innocent investors. His practice in committing the fraud crime is witnessed soon after he passes his seven series of tests where he now becomes an independent broker.
In his search for an investor whom he would scum, he contacts the purchasing director of the gourmet foods organization, Mr. Harry Reynad who in the film is known as Taylor Nichols. Though Mr. Harry is unwilling but he later gives in and he offers Ribisi the opportunity to sell him the stock after Seth (Ribisi) convinces him that the stock price would raise. It is after the first sale that the price goes down but on Harry making an enquiry, Seth coaxes him to even purchase more of the valueless stocks making him to spend all his saved finances from the business and those of the family. Ultimately the stock loses its value thus causing Harry a lot of fortune.
His last crime in fraud is seen during his process of fulfilling his undercover mission with the FBI where he uses lies so as to get Henry’s money back. He lies to Michael Brantley who was the founder of the organization who takes the bait and agrees to give him shares that he was not supposed to sell till the firm makes sales on theirs. Seth however decides to approach Chris (Diesel) where he persuaded him to sign the shares and luckily though reluctantly decides to sign the shares. This was not part of the mission but then again it’s a crime as he illegally took to the money which did not belong to him through a wrong persuasion and a lie. This can also be viewed as scam activity which is prohibited in law (Natoli 2003).
It is after this kind of heartless and selfish interests that leads to the destruction of people’s lives which aggravated Seth’s father disappointment in his son thus disowning him. He however decided to close down his casino as a result of guilt and to seek approval from his dad but then he engages in highly criminal activity which to his innocence he thought was legal. He thus involves his father in this criminal route of labor by asking his father’s help in robbing J. T. Merlin organization off their finances and as well as bring them down using an IPO scheme. Though Martin (Rifkin) is reluctant with this risky idea as it would cost him his judgeship if all goes wrong, he however agrees to help his son with the plan. They are however arrested for violation of the 26 SEC and NASD rules after their IPO plan is discovered from a telephone recorded tape. The FBI however seizes the opportunity of using Seth by offering him immunity if he testified against J. T. Merlin organization but for him to stick to the plan, his father is arrested and would only be released after Seth fulfils his deal (Natoli 2003).
This movie is realistic as it relates to the current world we are living in. realistically, everyone wants to become a millionaire with so much money just like it is portrayed by the character of Ribisi and all the brokers in J. T. Merlin organization. Therefore it is practical as viewed in our society as most people engage in investments which are legal while others engage in illegal businesses. The greed in the society is the ones who majorly engage in the illegal businesses so as to fulfill their aggravated desire for money and wealth. In the movie this is evident as we can see that the love for money by actors like Ribisi has influenced them to engage in the illegal brokerage of scamming people off their finances.
Realistically, no parent is ever proud of a disobedient child as this is an act of disappointment to any parent. This is also portrayed by Ben Young in his movie where he clearly states that Rifkini, Ribisos ‘ father is quite disappointed with his son and it even reaches a point that he disowns him. Rebellious children even in the real world are a disgrace to the family and even today parents still disown their children triggered by their bad behaviors. Parenthood is at times funny as a child will always remain to be a child whether being bad or being good. Love of a parent and that of a child forms a stronger bond. Hence most children would do anything to help their parents out and also the parents can sacrifice a lot for their children. This is evident in the movie context as Seth’s’ father agrees to help out his son even after disowning him while Seth himself vows to help the FBI only if they release his father. This is a sign of love for both a parent and a son.
Risk taking is evident in the movie and even today the character is adopted by many investors. Harry takes risk when he agrees to work with Seth with an aim of making great profits. Compromises are also part of life even to the present world. This is evident as the FBI compromises their protocol which involves punishing the criminals such as Seth but rather they compromise this protocol for the sake of arresting the entire firm of J. T. Merlin. Another compromise is seen when Rifkini also compromise his standards as a judge by agreeing to assist Seth with his IPO scheme. Compromises are widely seen in the present day as people manipulate or bend some principles and rules with an aim of getting what they want (Weiss, 2000).
It is thus clear that the film has an elevated octane of the real life as one can be able to relate with the movie. The movie basically has touched on basic sectors that revolve around any human being, that is; the family sector, social sector, economic sector and the government sector. Thus the movie is totally practical to the real world today. Life revolves around the dramas that occur in our day today life just as it used to happen to the characters in the movie boiler in 2000.
References
Bernstein, J. (2005). THE YOUNGER MAN. WWD: Women's Wear Daily, 190(92), 14.
KIT, B. (2011). BOILER ROOM DIRECTOR REVS UP. Hollywood Reporter, 417(23), 22.
Natoli, J. P. (2003). Memory's orbit: Film and culture, 1999-2000. Albany: State University of New York Press.
Weiss, G. (2000). HOW REAL IS THIS BOILER ROOM?. Businessweek, (3670), 146.
