MovieChat Forums > Boiler Room (2000) Discussion > The Moving Logic

The Moving Logic

posted 12 years ago by plrud
6 replies | jump to latest

I was watching Boiler Room yesterday. Michael's whole moving logic made absolutely no sense.

From what I understand the empty office next door was a way for Michael to move his whole office to the next building if he sensed that the FBI was getting too close. And when he did move them to the new office the FBI would not have any new evidence on them. That's the stupidest logic ever. I mean seriously.

First of all, how the fuqq would Michael ever know when the FBI is getting too close? He could he possibly know that? I mean look at the ending the FBI was on their way to raid his office and he didn't know about it. So what good would his move be then? Makes no sense. They would've arrested everybody and had everybody in custody.

Also, even let's say for the sake of argument that his plan did work, would good would moving the office to a new building do? The FEDS had his whole office tapped and heard recordings of all the illegal pump and dump schemes. Also they had Seth turns states evidence.

I can't believe Michael didn't see this angle.

Sick movie though.

[–] dbb79 12 years ago

It wasn't about the FBI I think, it was about the SEC. They never expected the FBI to get involved as they usually don't deal with things like this AFAIK. As long as they felt that the SEC wasn't getting too close everything seemed fine for them. Someone correct me if I'm wrong.

Also, in the real world there are actually these small pump and dump companies and they pretty much get away with it, one example is the NIA (National Inflation Association) and they aren't even bothered by the SEC. Even when people complain about their practices to the SEC with letters they just ignore it. The SEC sucks, and forget about the FBI they don't care about these cases.

[–] bacci40 11 years ago

jordan belfort and his firm (the movie is partially based on wolf of wall street) did have contingency plans to move and change the firm name....but not right across to another building....miles away

guess the writer couldnt figure out a way to have ribisi follow michael to another office building and just chose to have the new office right next door

[–] Milkdoesabodygood 10 years ago

They get raided, people get arrested, then get bailed out and all the while they move operations next door in under an hour!

Spoiler alert for them spoil sports out there! Y'all like spoiled milk, stop crying over it!

[–] the_la_baker 10 years ago

They get raided, people get arrested, then get bailed out and all the while they move operations next door in under an hour!

When the FBI comes after you, they freeze your finances. There would be no trading anymore, ever.

[–] transmentalist 9 years ago

Moving next door wouldn't fool anyone, and wouldn't protect them from the FBI

But it could protect them from civil actions, especially by customers and/or consumer protection agencies

As long as the company's the named defendant (not the actual guys running things), moving to a new company would give them at least temporary protection

It's actually a hassle to "sue through" a company and get at the people behind it. It's called "piercing the corporate veil," and can be a very fact-dependent, time-consuming and costly pursuit.

[–] bahlsdheep 10 years ago

Yeah, I agree this is stupid. The only thing I can think of is that if they took them down, the FBI wouldn't get arrest warrants for everyone in the firm -- probably just the senior management. It accomplishes their goal of shutting the place down, and the logistics of actually prosecuting all 100+ people at JT would probably be ridiculous and cost way more than taxpayers would want to bear.

After things rapped up, if you were a "broker" or a lower level employee, and dumb enough, couldn't you just go to work at the other location almost right away under a new management controlled by Michael?