You're about to get an insider's look at the financial world through seven gripping movies that are as entertaining as they are educational. You'll relive the collapse of Enron, witness the high-stakes decision-making in "Margin Call," and be tempted by the dark side of ambition in "The Wolf of Wall Street."
The financial world, huge as it is, is still somewhat opaque and difficult to understand, especially from the outside looking in. With the movies you'll learn about in this article, you'll finally be able to unveil some of that fog surrounding the financial world. Grab some popcorn and get ready.
Key highlights:
The Big Short and Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room are highly recommended finance movies for their insightful storytelling.
Margin Call and Too Big to Fail offer gripping plots and educational elements about the 2008 financial crisis.
Wolf of Wall Street examines excess and corruption in finance, serving as a cautionary tale about unchecked ambition.
Moneyball and The Company Men highlight broader financial themes, such as data-driven decision-making and corporate downsizing.
The Big Short stars probably the most huge Hollywood stars and tackles the real world financial recession that happened in 2008.
Wall Street - 1987
Genre Release Date Rotten Tomatoes Audience Rating IMDB Rating Drama, Crime 1987 81% 7.3
Directed by Oliver Stone, the 1987 film Wall Street pulls back the curtain on the cutthroat world of finance, where the pursuit of wealth and power can lead even the most well-intentioned individuals down a path of corruption and greed.
As you watch the film, you'll see the story of Bud Fox (because of course that's the name of Charlie Sheen's character), a young and ambitious stockbroker, unfold. He's determined to make a name for himself in the competitive and cutthroat world of finance, but his desire for success leads him to make questionable decisions.
The film portrays the financial industry's excesses and the characters' moral ambiguity. Gordon Gekko's iconic line, "Greed is good," becomes a mantra for the film's exploration of the dangers of unchecked ambition. As a side note, we personally choose to believe that this is where many video games of the 1900s and 2000s got their idea for the “greedisgood” cheat code.
As you analyze the film, you'll see how Stone critiques the financial system and highlights the consequences of prioritizing wealth over ethics.
Wall Street serves as a cautionary tale. You are warned about the dangers of allowing greed to consume your decision-making. The film's commentary on the financial industry remains relevant even today, almost 40 years later.
What The Godfather is for mafia and gangster movies, Wall Street is for finance movies. The exploration of human nature and the corrupting influence of power will leave you thinking long after the credits roll.
The Big Short - 2015
Genre Release Date Rotten Tomatoes Audience Rating IMDB Rating Drama, Comedy 2015 88% 7.8
Of all best finance movies on Netflix, this one is the most popular. In The Big Short, a biographical comedy-drama film based on Michael Lewis' book of the same name, you'll encounter the story of several eccentric investors. Fueled by their skepticism of the housing market, they decide to bet against the banks and expose the flaws in the financial system.
You'll be introduced to characters like Dr. Michael Burry, a brilliant hedge fund manager, and Jared Vennett, a Deutsche Bank trader, who spotted the impending crisis and create a credit default swap to profit from it.
As you watch, you'll realize that The Big Short is a harsh critique of the banking industry and the regulatory failures that led to the 2008 financial crisis.
Director Adam McKay skillfully breaks down complex financial concepts into easy-to-understand terms. A big reason why the movie was a hit was because complex concepts were dissected in a way most mainstream audiences can understand.
Also, The Big Short's cast is nothing short of spectacular, including stars like Christian Bale, Steve Carell, Ryan Gosling, Brad Pitt and Margot Robbie, to name a few. With outstanding performances and razor-sharp dialogue, The Big Short is both entertaining and enlightening, offering valuable insights into the world of finance and the dangers of unchecked greed.
Wolf of Wall Street - 2013
Genre Release Date Rotten Tomatoes Audience Rating IMDB Rating Dark Comedy, Crime, Drama 2013 83% 8.2
While The Big Short exposes the intricacies of the financial system and the consequences of unchecked greed, The Wolf of Wall Street offers a very different perspective. It's a recounting of the infamous true story of Jordan Belfort, a stockbroker who built an empire on deceit and excess in 1990s New York.
As you watch this film, you'll be drawn into a world of luxury and extravagance, where the pursuit of wealth and power knows no bounds. Directed by Martin Scorsese, the film cautions about the dangers of unchecked ambition and the corrupting influence of wealth.
You'll see how Belfort, played by Leonardo DiCaprio, uses his charm and charisma to swindle investors and build a lucrative business. But as the story unfolds, you'll also see the darker side of Belfort's world, where greed and excess lead to chaos and destruction.
This was back before DiCaprio won his Oscar, so you can tell he's really milking his acting chops to produce one of the most charismatic frauds the financial world has ever seen.
If you're looking for a finance movie full of twists and turns that keep your eyes glued to the screen, Wolf of Wall Street absolutely delivers.
Margin Call - 2011
Genre Release Date Rotten Tomatoes Audience Rating IMDB Rating Thriller, Drama 2011 74% 7.1
Margin Call is unique in that the whole movie happens in a 24-hour period. You're dropped into a pressure-cooker environment where the fate of an investment bank hangs precariously in the balance. They've accumulated toxic assets during the housing market bubble that are threatening to be their end.
As you're immersed in this world, you'll see how risk management and financial modeling take center stage while they desperately try to mitigate the bank's exposure.
The bank's top executives and the relatively new risk management officer must make some tough (margin!?) calls and survive the threat of a collapsing market.
The film showcases the financial instruments and models used by investment banks, and you get a firsthand look at how they work and the risks associated with them.
With its sharp dialogue and gripping plot, Margin Call is entertaining as well as educational. As the story unfolds, you'll be on the edge of your seat, wondering what's next for this cornered investment bank.
Moneyball - 2011
Genre Release Date Rotten Tomatoes Audience Rating IMDB Rating Drama, Sport 2011 86% 7.6
Moneyball is a biographical sports drama where you'll see how Billy Beane, the general manager of the Oakland Athletics, employs advanced statistical models, known as sabermetrics, to identify undervalued players and assemble a competitive team despite a tight budget.
Beane's unconventional approach challenges traditional baseball scouting methods. Analyzing data in a unique way, he's able to find hidden gems that other teams overlook.
As you follow the team's journey, you'll see how Beane's strategy pays off and leads to a remarkable winning streak. The film highlights the importance of innovative thinking and data-driven decision-making in finance and sports.
There are strong parallels between Beane's approach and value investing in finance. Both involve identifying undervalued assets and making decisions based on data analysis.
The Company Men - 2010
Genre Release Date Rotten Tomatoes Audience Rating IMDB Rating Drama 2010 55% 6.7
The Company Men, a drama film, is arguably the movie that's the most relatable to a regular person on our best finance movies list.
You're drawn into the lives of three men, Bobby Walker, Gene McClary, and Phil Woodward, who are at risk from corporate downsizing and who must redefine their priorities in a world that's evolving past their comfort zones.
You'll witness their struggles to cope with the sudden loss of their jobs and the impact it has on their families and sense of identity. The film offers a thought-provoking commentary on the consequences of corporate greed and the dehumanizing effects of layoffs.
Through the characters' experiences, you'll see the emotional toll of job loss and the challenges of finding new employment in a highly competitive market.
The film also highlights the importance of resilience, adaptability, and the need to re-evaluate one's priorities in the face of uncertainty.
Strong performances and timely themes make The Company Men a compelling and relatable film that will resonate with anyone who's experienced the challenges of the modern workplace. And that's 99% of the population.
Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room - 2005
Genre Release Date Rotten Tomatoes Audience Rating IMDB Rating Documentary 2005 87% 7.6
Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room is a documentary that chronicles the shocking rise and fall of energy giant Enron, a company that was once regarded as a pioneer of innovation and success.
The film shows an intricate web of lies and deceit by Enron's top executives, including CEO Jeffrey Skilling and CFO Andrew Fastow. Both were convicted to years in prison in real life, though they have since served their sentences.
The documentary masterfully exposes the company's accounting scandals, special purpose entities, and other financial machinations that ultimately led to its downfall.
Through interviews with former Enron employees, regulators, and industry experts, you'll get a better understanding of the company's culture of corruption and the consequences of its actions.
Enron: The Smartest Guy in the Room reminds you of the importance of transparency, accountability, and integrity in the business world.
The bottom line
You've just explored the seven best movies about finance to watch in 2024. Each movie has shed light on the complexities of the financial world, from corporate collapse and financial crises to the dark side of ambition. You've gained valuable insights into ethics, risk, and the consequences of unchecked greed.
Now, hopefully, you can take these lessons into your own financial decision-making, and enjoy a new and more nuanced perspective on the real world of finance.