Wall Street has actually always been a fascinating topic for filmmakers, and throughout the years, there have actually been many movies that have explored the topics of cash, power, and greed. From classic dramas to today’s thrillers, these movies have mesmerized audiences with gripping stories and distinct characters. In this post, I’ll be counting down the 13 best Wall Street movies by highlighting the movies that have actually specified the category and left a lasting impression on audiences around the world.
1. Margin Call (2011 )
Embed in the early stages of the 2008 monetary crisis, Margin Call tells the scoop of a big financial investment bank that need to mitigate a big, unexpected danger in their portfolio. Including a star-studded cast consisting of: Jeremy Irons, Kevin Spacey, Demi Moore, and Stanley Tucci, this movie has some of the best efficiencies in Wall Street movie history. If you enjoy extraordinary lines, memorable performing, and a devotion to realism, then this is the Wall Street movie for you.
2. Wall Street (1987 )
This is the traditional movie that began it all. Starring Michael Douglas, Charlie Sheen, and Daryl Hannah, the motion picture follows the story of Bud Fox (Sheen), a young, enthusiastic stockbroker who is determined to go far for himself on Wall Street. In an effort to get ahead, Bud starts to deal with Gordon Gekko (Douglas), a callous and powerful business raider, and ends up getting dragged into Gekko’s illegal activities. Filled with a few of the best quotes in Wall Street motion picture history, this is a cinematic experience you will not wish to miss out on.
3. The Big Short (2015 )
Based on the book by Michael Lewis, The Big Short is a biographical comedy-drama that tells the story of a group of financiers who anticipate and make money from the real estate crash of 2007-2008. The movie checks out the greed and corruption that caused the financial crisis and the human cost of the financial disaster while also utilizing humor to inform its audience about complicated financial topics. Among my favorite scenes involves Anthony Bourdain describing how collateralized financial obligation responsibilities (CDOs) are similar to seafood stew. If you like Christian Bale, Steve Carell, Ryan Gosling, or Brad Pitt, then you’ll enjoy The Big Short.
4. Trading Places (1983 )
Being the only pure funny on this list, Trading Places informs the story of 2 rich brothers who make a bet on whether nature or nurture is the key to success. To test their theory, the siblings require a wealthy products broker (Dan Aykroyd) and a poor street hustler (Eddie Murphy) to change lives. As Aykroyd and Murphy battle to adapt to their new circumstances, they start to understand the other’s predicament and question the morality of their actions. The film shines a spotlight on class differences and social inequality and is extensively thought about a classic of 1980s funny movie theater.
5. The Wolf of Wall Street (2013 )
Directed by Martin Scorsese, The Wolf of Wall Street is a dark funny based upon the true life story of Jordan Belfort (played by Leonardo DiCaprio). The movie follows Belfort’s journey from an up-and-coming New york city stockbroker to running his own company (and the extravagant lifestyle that comes with it). Filled with drugs, sex, and securities scams, this movie showcases the excesses of 1990s Wall Street in a manner that no other motion picture can.
6. American Psycho (2000 )
American Psycho is a cult classic in Wall Street motion picture history. Starring Christian Bale, the movie focuses around the life of Patrick Bateman, a young, effective financial investment banker who likewise happens to be a serial killer. As the story unfolds, Bateman’s growing fascination with his own vanity, materialism, and status lead him down a course of increasing violence and hysteria. Based on the 1991 novel by Bret Easton Ellis, this is a film that is as unforgettable as it is frightening.
7. Arbitrage (2012 )
Arbitrage is a 2012 film that informs the story of Robert Miller (Richard Gere), a rich and successful hedge fund manager, who attempts to finish the sale of his trading empire prior to his prohibited activities are revealed by the authorities. Though Miller is the male who has everything, as the offer approaches he is faced with a series of individual and expert crises that threaten to damage everything he has actually built. Though this film isn’t as well called lots of others on this list, it’s a thriller that you shouldn’t overlook.
8. Equity (2016 )
Equity follows the story of Naomi Bishop (Anna Gunn), a senior financial investment lender who is trying to close the most significant offer of her career. Regrettably, Bishop’s aspirations and morals are put to the test after a more youthful coworker (Sarah Megan Thomas) reveals information that threatens to stop the deal in its tracks. Filled with deceptiveness, betrayal, and the mission for power, Equity checks out the theme of gender discrimination and the special difficulties that females face worldwide of finance.
9. Inside Job (2010 )
Though this film is technically a documentary, it was too good not to be included on this list. Inside Job investigates the causes of the 2008 international monetary crisis and the role that Wall Street played in the events leading up to it. The movie includes interviews with essential monetary figures, political leaders, and academics, and offers a thorough introduction of the conflicts of interest and corruption that enabled the crisis to happen. If you desire an eye-opening look at the greed and deceptiveness that led to among the worst catastrophes in financial history, then Inside Task is the movie for you.
10. Boiler Space (2000 )
Boiler Space tells the story of Seth Davis (Giovanni Ribisi), a young man who is recruited to operate at a Long Island-based brokerage company, J.T Marlin, in hopes of impressing his disappointed father. As Seth becomes more effective and begins earning more money, he starts to reveal the prohibited and unethical practices of his company. Highlighting the cut-throat nature of the brokerage market in the 1990s, Boiler Space is an exposé on the downsides of easy cash.
11. Rogue Trader (1999 )
Rogue Trader is a 1999 movie based upon the true story of Nick Leeson (Ewan McGregor), a rogue trader who triggered the collapse of Barings Bank in 1995. The film follows Leeson’s increase through the ranks from a lowly clerk to the head of the bank’s Singapore office. Unfortunately, as his success grows, so does his desire to make more cash. The movie explores the styles of greed, deceptiveness, and the effects of taking too much risk.
12. The Wizard of Lies (2017 )
If you ever would like to know the full story of Bernie Madoff, the orchestrator of the largest Ponzi plan in U.S. history, then this is the film for you. The Wizard of Lies follows Madoff’s (Robert DeNiro) increase to power and eventual downfall as his Ponzi plan is discovered. The film checks out the impact of Madoff’s deceptiveness on his household, employees, and financiers, and how their monetary lives are ruined by his actions. If you want to better understand the human cost of financial scams, then take a look at The Wizard of Lies.
13. Other Peoples’ Cash (1991 )
Starring Danny DeVito, Other individuals’s Cash tells the story of Lawrence Garfield (aka “Larry the Liquidator”), a hard corporate raider, and his mission to take control of New England Wire and Cable, a little family-owned business. Andrew Jorgenson (Gregory Peck) is figured out to keep New England Wire and Cable television independently-run and out of the hands of Garfield. In the dispute that ensues, the movie shows what occurs when money and power meet family and neighborhood.
The Bottom Line
If you want to discover more about the financial world, the 13 films noted above are a great location to start. Not only will you get a much better point of view on the many manner ins which money can affect our lives, however you’ll likewise have a much deeper understanding of financial culture and the films that assisted to define it.
Till next time, thank you for reading!
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This is post 332. Any code I have related to this post can be found here with the very same numbering: https://github.com/nmaggiulli/of-dollars-and-data