at boiler rooms, where callers aggressively peddle often fraudulent investments to consumers. Younger sold his script on the condition that he direct. Artisan Entertainment initially backed the production and helped bring actors Giovanni Ribisi, Vin Diesel, and Affleck to the project, but later backed out. New Line Cinema then stepped in for distribution. Release Box office The film opened in the United States on February 18, 2000, alongside Hanging Up, Pitch Black and The Whole Nine Yards, grossing $6.7 million on its opening weekend. Eventually, the film grossed $17 million domestically and $11.8 million in other territories, with a worldwide total of $28.8 million. Critical response On Rotten Tomatoes the film has an approval rating of 66% based on reviews from 101 critics. The site's consensus is: "Its ending is disappointingly tidy, but Boiler Room boasts just enough sharp writing and brisk pacing to make getting there worthwhile." On Metacritic the film has a score of 63 out of 100 based on reviews from 34 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews" Audiences surveyed by CinemaScore gave the film a grade C+ on scale of A to F. Multiple critics noted the film's echoes of other corporate greed films like Wall Street and Glengarry Glenn Ross. Malcolm Johnson of the Hartford Courant wrote "Affleck, the best-known actor in the ensemble, proves no match for Alec Baldwin of 'Glengarry,' who played a similar character in David Mamet's look at a phony real estate operation." He also said "the screenplay misses the verbal pyrotechnics of both [Oliver] Stone and Mamet." A. O. Scott of The New York Times wrote Giovanni Ribisi "captures Seth's man-child suavity as well as his childish sensitivity, and the sweetness underneath his cynicism", and "Nia Long brings wit and patience to the underwritten role of Marlin's receptionist and Seth's love interest, a black woman surrounded by white guys trying to act like homeboys." Vin Diesel was also cited as being one of the more "likable" characters at the brokerage firm. Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun-Times gave the film 3.5 out of 4 stars and wrote: "Has the high-octane feel of real life, closely observed." Emanuel Levy of Variety gave the film a mixed review and said while it "begins extremely well as a saga of greed and conspicuous consumption...it gradually loses its bite." Levy also praised Affleck for his performance. James Berardinelli of ReelViews gave it 3 out of