2000, 1 hr 55 min., Rated R.�Dir: Ben Younger. Cast: Giovanni Ribisi (Seth Davis), Vin Diesel (Chris Varick), Nia Long (Abbie), Nicky Katt (Greg), Scott Caan (Richie), Ron Rifkin (Mr. Davis), Jamie Kennedy (Adam), Taylor Nichols (Harry Reynard), Bill Nichols (Agent Drew), Tom Everett Scott (Michael Brantley), Ben Affleck (Jim Young).

If one agrees that Wall Street was the ultimate example of the greed of the 1980s, then Boiler Room may be its equal in representing the mid-to-late 90s. It's an era when "everyone" is becoming a millionaire or wants to be one, and not through hard work as much as through the easy street of game shows, lotteries or what most people are trying, Wall Street.

Boiler Room features a talented ensemble cast that shines in their roles of twentysomething millionaire stockbrokers who have so much money they don't know what to do with it all, and don't care if their means of achieving said millions is unethical at best. This is where our young hotshot broker protagonist (Giovanni Ribisi) runs into trouble, that the 90s easy-money yearnings generates a morals-be-damned approach to achieving riches. As long as the money is in the bank and you have your BMW, little thought is given to the lives ruined by J.T. Marlin, a "chop-shop" brokerage firm.

I'm not a hip-hop or urban music listener, though once in awhile it's energizing. In Boiler Room the film moves along with a defined beat from that genre and it gives the audience a boost considering what should be boring subject matter.

Ribisi and Nia Long are a sweet couple and thus simple to root for in the film despite having an interracial relationship that Bob Jones University would frown upon. I wish the filmmakers would have fleshed out their coupling more, though, because I wasn't emotionally involved with the turns the relationship takes.

I'm looking forward to seeing more of Ribisi, who has grown quite a bit since his quirky turn as Lisa Kudrow's brother in "Friends" and the medic in Saving Private Ryan. The guy's got talent, and though he doesn't have the boy-toy attractiveness of Brad Pitt his natural, salt-of-the-earth, looks will still open a few doors in leading-man roles. Hey, it worked for Nic Cage, didn't it?

Ben Affleck and Tom Everett Scott give Boiler Room an assist in small but effective performances as a motivator and company president, respectively, and keep the film's premise of a hot-shot brokerage firm rooted somewhat in reality for the audience. Unfortunately for Affleck, though, is that one quarter of his dialogue involves some form of an expletive.

The main group of friends, though, is where the locker-room mentality sets in-- think of it as Diner, except the guys are worth millions and dress like gangsters--with colorful characters such as Jamie Kennedy (the horror-geek in Scream and Scream 2, Scott Caan as the tough Italian compensating for his short stature and Nicky Katt as Ribisi's evil broker mentor Greg.

Vin Diesel's performance is another reason to put stock in him for the future, not just as an actor but also a filmmaker where he got his start in the business. After a few more successful films, he will be able to convince studios to throw some extra dough his way.

I really, really liked this picture. It was fresh, quick to the punch and rich with dialogue. I liked the characters, was drawn in to the situations and genuinely interested in the subject matter. Which is saying something for someone who knows nothing about Wall Street beyond what Fidelity is doing with my 401(K).