10+ financial market movies

Wolf of Wall Street

This Scorsese adaptation of Jordan Belfort’s autobiography cannot be omitted from any list of finance-related movies. Kilograms of cocaine, neverending parties, fast cars but also 200 million worth of damage to the investors and becoming the person of interest for the FBI. This could be one of the ways how to describe the rise and fall of stockbroker Jordan Belfort, artfully played by Leonardo Dicaprio.

Trading Places

  
Movie classic from the ’80s. What will happen if a real estate broker from an old-money family switches his life with a petty street thief? That’s the premise of this goofy comedy that is still popular up to this day. An interesting fact is that Trading Places is the only comedy in the history of cinematography that had led to the implementation of new financial regulation the so-called “Eddie Murphy rule” that’s because of the final scene in which the main characters are shorting the futures of juice concentrate based on the falsified market report. Which wasn’t illegal up until the point when the “Eddie Murphy rule” was finally implemented.
 

Barbarians at the Gate

Another “based on the real events” type of movie is on this list. This time about the plan of F. Ross Johnson, the CEO of tobacco giant RJR Nabisco to buy out the majority of shares in the very same company in 1988. This was something that couldn’t pass unnoticed by other big players who obviously wanted to earn their fair share in all of this. Thus the aggressive business shenanigans begin. Barbarians at the gate is a TV movie that was nominated for 3 Golden Globes (won 2 of them for the best actor and best TV film) in 1994. And even though it might not seem like it, it classifies as comedy.
 

Other People’s Money

If you are forced to watch a romcom given the circumstances but you would like to sneak in at least a little bit from the world of finance and business try Other People’s Money with Danny De Vitto in the main role. He plays a rotten businessman from Wall Street with a strong passion for the hostile takeover of small companies. But as it usually goes with the romcoms, once he tries to overtake a small family business that is represented by a young lawyer (who is also a daughter of the owner) his plans are turned to ashes. And this careless chauvinist falls in love, of course.
 

I want drama

Let’s be honest here when something is about money, it’s usually more likely to turn out to be a drama than a comedy (however, it all depends on the point of view as well). That’s why we present you with a list of 5 esteemed dramas that will make your popcorn reserves fall down faster than oil prices on the market affected by the Coronavirus. As a matter of fact, one of the movies mentioned here is about the beginning of the oil industry in the USA.

Margin Call

 
Stellar movie from 2011 that has been nominated for an Oscar for the best screenplay that is partially based on true events. The plot starts as the junior employee of an investment bank unveils the information that is bound to lead to the bankruptcy of the said bank. What follows is the endless night full of heated management meetings and attempts to mitigate the impacts even at the cost of unethical decisions. The last night before the crisis of financial markets in 2008.
 

Rogue Trader

Nicholas Leeson used to be a securities trader who worked for the oldest British investment bank - The Barings Bank - in the nineties. However, his work contribution wasn’t exactly the type that would earn him the appraisal from his colleagues, quite the opposite. With his secret market speculations, balancing on the edge between virtuosity and pure madness, this young and ambitious trader (masterfully played by Ewan McGregor) had brought the Barings Bank on its knees. Later on, he was sentenced to 4 years in prison where he wrote the book that serves as the script for this movie. If you are interested in trading or investments you shouldn’t miss this movie.
 

There will be bloody

 
The state of California, the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries is a time during which the adventurers with oil on their minds are flocking the state. One of them is Daniel Plainview a common miner who works his way up to become an oil baron. But at what cost? This jewel of cinematography that won more than 10 movie awards (including the Academy Award for the best main actor and camera) has earned cult status soon after its release. And you shouldn’t miss it too, no matter if you are interested in the beginnings of the oil industry in the USA or not.

Sázka na nejistotu (Big Short)

 
Can a 2-hour long lection on the pre-crisis economy be entertaining even for someone without an economic background? Is it possible for an ordinary movie fan without the knowledge of basic economic terms to enjoy the movie which revolves around the burst of a mortgage bubble in the 2008 USA? This stellar spectacle and screenwriting jewel is proof that it is possible indeed. After all, the Big Short is often mentioned as one of the best pieces that have been ever made about the causes of the financial crisis in 2008. And if you don’t understand the financial terminology, the scene with Margot Robbie in a bathtub will help.

Wall Street 

If you feel like watching an old-school drama from the ’80s full of witty one-liners, tension, and stellar acting, give Wall Street from Oliver Stone a shot. The main plot of this classic revolves around a young and ambitious trader who is willing to sacrifice anything in order to become successful on Wall Street. That is something that the arrogant and careless raider (Michael Douglas) cannot pass by unacknowledged and therefore he takes this young trader under his wings to mentor him about insider trading. Viewers with an economic background will be delighted by the details of Wall Street backstage. Others will be blown away by the acting skill of Michael Douglas in his top form.

I want to learn something

If you enjoy learning through documentary movies and series and are also interested in what’s going on behind those closed doors of big corporations’ conference rooms we’ve got great news for you. There is an abundance of documentaries on this topic. We have picked the top 5 for you.
 

Dirty Money

There are a lot of investigative documentaries aimed at different businesses. This docuseries from Netflix shines above them all mostly due to its wide range. From the Volkswagen emission filters scandal over the business machinations of Donald Trump to the laundering of dirty money of south American drug cartels. If any of this caught your attention, be sure to watch the docuseries with eyedrops by your side, because it will certainly open your eyes (and they might be a bit dry afterward). 

Bitcoin beyond the bubble 

We couldn’t complete this list without mentioning at least one document about the most famous cryptocurrency. But to choose a document that would be up to date that’s when it got harder. Bitcoin beyond the bubble is 35 minutes short delight shot in 2018 that shows on the historical context why Bitcoin should be the next step of evolution. Plus, you can find it on youtube.

Inside Job

 
If you are one of the short tempers people and even the slightest stimuli make your blood boil, we recommend not watching this one. But if you are willing to risk and learn about what led to the financial crisis in 2008, Inside job is the best document that has ever been made on this topic of economic armageddon.

Enron: The smartest guys in the room 

Before the mortgage bubble burst in 2008, there was another big scandal in the USA. It was the year 2002 and energetic giant Enron, the 7th biggest employer in the US, went down. This fast-paced 100-minute document is a work of brilliant journalism that puts different pieces together and leads you to disbelief that you are not watching a utopian drama but a document.