Watch These 10 Movies For Insights Into the World of Finance With a Dash of Entertainment

Sep 17, 2023

By: Sahib Preet Singh

These movies can help you understand Wall Street and finance

The captivating world of finance can also turn out to be confusing for those who aren't well-versed in jargon and complex dealings. That's where films can break things down for audiences, by combining entertainment with profound insights into the eni...

"Wall Street" (1987): A must-watch finance film

Oliver Stone's timeless "Wall Street" lef with countless college graduates echoing the iconic phrase, "Blue Horseshoe loves Anacott Steel," on their way to Series 7 exams. Crafted originally to expose the excesses and hedonism intertwi...

"The Big Short" (2015): Unmasking the 2008 financial crash

Although the movie serves as a cautionary tale about the perils of insider trading, it's hard to resist the allure of stepping into the shoes of characters like Bud Fox or the infamous Gordon Gekko, if only for a moment. As Gekko himself famously declared...

"Margin Call" (2011): Capturing the boardroom drama

Adapted from Michael Lewis's nonfiction book, "The Big Short: Inside the Doomsday Machine," this film tracks the journey of astute traders who were ahead of the curve and identified the housing crisis that triggered the 2007-2008 financial c...

"Boiler Room" (2000): A glimpse into financial deception

Regarded as one of the most financially accurate films on this list, "Margin Call" unfolds within a tight 24-hour timeframe, offering a gripping glimpse into the life of a Wall Street firm teetering on the edge of catastrophe. The movie makes no effo...

"The Wolf of Wall Street" (2013): A rollercoaster ride through an elaborate scam

"Boiler Room" delves into the grim underbelly of the financial industry by shedding light on the pump-and-dump scheme. This term encapsulates the unethical practices of firms that artificially inflate the price of a security through deceptive, often ...

"Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room" (2005): Breaking down corporate deceit

Directed by Martin Scorsese, this biographical film unravels the captivating tale of Jordan Belfort, a notorious stock market swindler. The movie based on true events, features stellar performances by Leonardo DiCaprio and Jonah Hill. "The Wolf of Wall St...

"Rogue Trader" (1999): Unveiling the collapse of Barings Bank

Despite unfolding over two decades ago, the documentary's narrative continues to astonish. Adapted from the best-selling book of the same name, it relies on an extensive trove of archival footage, congressional testimonies, and interviews with Enron execu...

"Glengarry Glen Ross" (1992): Into the cut-throat competition among salesmen

This film recounts the actual events surrounding Nick Leeson, a trader whose actions single-handedly drove Barings Bank, one of the world's oldest merchant banks, into insolvency. Once hailed as a rising star on the Singapore trading floor, Leeson's ...

American Psycho" (2000): Peering into the Dark Abyss of Finance

This cinematic adaptation of David Mamet's renowned play delves into the lives of a beleaguered team of real estate salesmen, their ethical values worn thin by years of toil for an unscrupulous company. The film exposes the shady tactics that are often em...

"Barbarians at the Gate" (1993): The LBO Spectacle

This provocative cinematic rendition of Bret Easton Ellis's acclaimed novel unfolds in the financial realm, with Christian Bale portraying a wealthy investment banker concealing a sinister and lethal identity. Though finance takes a backseat in the plot, ...