Almost Famous (2000)
Screenwriter(s): Cameron Crowe
And although Younger has peppered the proceedings with several admittedly engrossing sequences (eg Ben Affleck rallies the firm’s newcomers with a brutally honest yet oddly rousing speech), Boiler Room, saddled with an aggressively overlong running time, doesn’t manage to gain any real sense of momentum as it progresses and it doesn’t. The Boiler Room written by Ben Young. Jim Young: Okay, before we get started, I have one question, has anyone here passed a Series Seven exam? Man: (raises his hand) I have a Series Seven license. Jim: Good for you. You can get up too. Jim: We don't hire brokers here, we train new ones. That's it Skippy - pack your shit, let's go.
Advice About Being a True Rock Journalist - Be Honest and Unmerciful
The Boiler Room written by Ben Young. Jim Young: Okay, before we get started, I have one question, has anyone here passed a Series Seven exam? Man: (raises his hand) I have a Series Seven license. Jim: Good for you. You can get up too. Jim: We don't hire brokers here, we train new ones. That's it Skippy - pack your shit, let's go. Ben Affleck plays the Alec Baldwin role from Glengary Glen Ross. He provides an excellent five minute speech to motivate the new guys. It's pretty darn good. Not Baldwin's level, but still pretty damn good. Later on Nicky Katz specifically mentions that movie and even asks Ribisi (Seth) if he remembers the 'Always Be Closing' speech.
Ben Affleck Sales Speech
Legendary writer and editor of Creem Lester Bangs (Philip Seymour Hoffman) congratulated his 15 year-old idol, aspiring rock journalist William Miller (Patrick Fugit), on his 'damn good' writing, although he felt rock 'n' roll was in its 'death rattle...last gasp' in the early 1970s. After speaking briefly on the street, they continued talking in a small cafe. Bangs tried to discourage the idealistic and eagerly ambitious young William, but then gave him an 'assignment' to write about a Black Sabbath concert, urging him not to get too cozy with the bands he's writing about:
You know, because once you go to L.A., you're gonna have friends like crazy. But they're gonna be fake friends. You know, they're gonna try to corrupt you. You got an honest face, and they're gonna tell you everything. But you cannot make friends with the rock stars...If you're gonna be a true journalist -- you know, a rock journalist -- first, you never get paid much. But you will get free records from the record company. Jesus. F--king nothing about you that is controversial, man. God, it's gonna get ugly, man. They're gonna buy you drinks. You're gonna meet girls, they're gonna try to fly you places for free, offer you drugs. I know it sounds great, but these people are not your friends. You know, these are people who want you to write sanctimonious stories about the genius of rock stars. And they will ruin rock 'n' roll, and strangle everything we love about it, right? You know, because they're trying to buy respectability for a form that is gloriously and righteously dumb. Now, you're smart enough to know that. And the day it ceases to be dumb is the day that it ceases to be real, right? And then it just becomes an industry of cool.
I'm-I'm telling ya, you're comin' along at a very dangerous time for rock 'n' roll. I mean, the war is over. They won. And 99% of what passes for rock 'n' roll these days, silence is more compelling. That's why I think you should just turn around and go back, you know, and be a lawyer or somethin'. But I can tell from your face that you won't. I can give you 35 bucks. Give me a thousand words on Black Sabbath...Hey, you have to make your reputation on being honest and, uh, you know, unmerciful...If you get into a jam, you can call me. I stay up late.
The Boiler Room Ben Affleck Speech
Then, later in the film, Lester spoke on the phone to William, dismayed that he seemed to have sold himself out, and reiterating that he should be 'honest and unmerciful':
Young Ben Affleck
Oh, man, you made friends with ‘em. See, friendship is the booze they feed ya 'cause they want ya to get drunk on feeling like you belong....Because they make you feel cool, and hey, I met you. You are not cool....Because we are uncool. You know, while women will always be a problem for guys like us. Most of the great art in the world is about that very problem. Good-looking people - they got no spine, their art never lasts. And they get the girls, but we’re smarter....'cause great art is about guilt and longing, and, you know, love disguised as sex, and sex disguised as love, and hey, let’s face it, you've got a big head start... I’m always home, I’m uncool....You're doin' great. The only true currency in this bankrupt world is what you share with someone else when you’re uncool. My advice to you, I know you think these guys are your friends, if you wanna be a true friend to ‘em, be honest and unmerciful.