Customer Reviews

Billionaire Boys Club

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

What makes this movie so interesting is that it is based on a TRUE story. The story line stays close to the actual court transcripts, and as the story unfolds there are frequent scene cuts back to the courtroom testimony.

Joe Hunt was the "nerd" kid who went to a prestigious school on a scholarship. He was a smart kid, and on the debate team, but no one paid much attention to him back then. When he returned to town a few years later, he contacted some of his old classmates, who were all from wealthy families. They discussed how when your parents are highly successful, it is difficult or impossible to live up to your parents' expectations. Joe Hunt convinced these former classmates that they should "start at the top." Join his organization called the BBC.

This newly formed organization was involved in various business ventures, but primarily commodities trading, attracting investors with a new invention they bought the rights to, and importing gray market vehicles. This BBC was both a business venture and a classy social club. Joe Hunt convinced his new business partners to invest their personal money in the BBC too, presumably for the commodities market, but actually Joe Hunt used the money to cover other business expenses of the BBC.

Joe Hunt promoted his "paradox philosophy," which is basically that it is okay to tell lies if it helps advance your position. It follows that Joe Hunt was severely lacking in any business ethics. When the BBC started to run out of money, a plan was hatched to extort money from someone, and then kill him. This was done, and then Joe Hunt called to staff meeting to say, "We bumped off Levin, and if anyone goes to the police, you will be dead too." This was a strange way to resolve corporate debt.

This put his peers into a moral dilemma. Some had already become disenchanted with the charismatic Joe Hunt. Others were strong supporters. Eventually, a couple of guys went to the police, but the police were slow to react without any evidence. Joe Hunt found out someone had been talking to the police, and declares war on those BBC members who had betrayed him.

You will have to watch the movie to see how this turns out. Again, the amazing thing is that this is a true story. Truth is stranger than fiction.

Judd Nelson is excellent as Joe Hunt in this true story about greed and murder amongst the rich and privileged of Los Angeles.

Joe Hunt came from a poor family and was considered by his former "privileged" classmates as being nerdy, unpopular, and a scholarship kid. After college, Joe became reacquainted with some of his rich former classmates through Dean Karny. He convinced this group of guys that he was an expert in commodities trading and he had a "risk free" strategy that would produce big returns. The guys were very impressed so they gave Joe all of their inheritances to invest in the commodities markets. But instead of investing the money, Joe used their money to rent office space and hire employees for his new company, the Billionaire Boys Club.

Joe scammed money from wealthy businessmen, spent some of the money to maintain his lavish lifestyle and the rest he lost in the commodities market. And to keep his investors from getting suspicious, Joe mailed out fake statements that showed a small profit but eventually the investors started asking for their money back. Joe was desperate to find new investors.

Joe met Ron Levin, who was a wealthy businessman and con-artist himself. He was hoping to scam Ron Levin out of enough money that he could bail out the BBC. But as it turned out Ron scammed Joe. Joe was furious and decided to kill Ron Levin. Joe's biggest mistake was leaving a hand written "to-do list" at Ron's house. The police found this list and later used it in court. The prosecutor proclaimed, "It's a recipe for murder".

In Joe's continual pursuit for more cash, a plot was hatched to kidnap Hedayat Eslaminia, a rich former Iranian official and hold him for ransom. This plot didn't work either and Joe was losing control over the guys. Two of the guys secretly went to the police and this led to the end of the BBC.

Two especially good books were written about this story. They are as follows:

The Billionaire Boys Club by Sue Horton
The Price of Experience by Randall Sullivan

I saw this movie on TV years ago, and I was very impressed with the concept of comodoties.Unfortunately with power and money also comes responsibilities, but wasn't expecting murder. Two years ago, I saw a small article in the local newspaper that said that people have seen Ron Levin(the guy that Joe had killed) at restaurants and at the theatre. People claim that he was a con artist and that he faked his own death to put Joe away for life.

An excellent movie that shows the very elements of power and prestige. If you like power movies, you will certainly love this one.

Although this made for tv film is over 20 years old, it is riveting to watch. The true story of Joe Hunt,an ambitious and brilliant young man with distorted values climbing the corporate ladder and convincing all those around him to knowingly cross moral boundaries, holds your interest from start to finish. The lead actor "Judd Nelson" is absolutely mesmerizing in every scene. The fact that you even feel some measure of sympathy for him is a true test of his topnotch acting. In my opinion, he should have been nominated for an emmy.

Probably the best "post breakfast club" work by brat-packer Judd Nelson. You'll also spot a lot of other great 80's talent in this film. Great acting, perfect casting and excellent story telling - all based on real events.

This is a very good film and should certainly be available on NTSC (region 1) DVD.

If you're a fan of courtroom drama's, films based on real events, and like movies with an 80's feel... you'll enjoy this "lost 80's" gem.

-JM

I was sitting in a resturaunt and I heard a the pet shop boys song from this movie and I thought, "Billionaire Boys Club, I remember watching it after I taped the TV miniseries on betamax." I looked it up on netflix and it was not available. I wanted to watch it again, so I looked it up on Amazon and it was available for a very affordable price. My husband and I both remember it from the 80s and it was nice to watch it soon after the thought crossed my mind. It was just as good as I remember it to be:)

I first saw this movie back in the late 80's and was hoping that it would come out on DVD. I originally had this on VHS but we all know what happened to that.

I would add this movie to your Wall Street, Rogue Trader, Trading Places, Other People's Money and Barbarians at the Gate movie collection.

It's over 3 hours long but the suspense will keep you watching.

Enjoy!

I saw this on TV years ago...maybe 10+ years ago.
All I remember what that I liked it, and I want to watch it again. If it was on DVD, I'd buy it right away. It's basically a bunch of spoiled rich kids out to trick/betray/extort from their own fathers to get money from them...they'd do anything...even to the point of murder, all for the love of $money$.

It's been a while since I saw the movie so when I saw an opportunity to purchased it, I did. Glad I did purchase, good to see again and i'll watch it again. Well worth the purchase. It's a thriller.