Top 10 Engrossing Films about Finance and Wall Street
In the world of finance, money and power often intertwine, creating a narrative that is as captivating as it is complex. Over the years, Hollywood has delved into this realm, offering a series of films that provide a timely reminder of the dangers and excesses that lurk within the financial industry. Here's a glimpse into some of the most notable finance-related films that have left an indelible mark.
"Wall Street" (1987) was one of the first to tackle the subject, portraying the excess and hedonism associated with finance. This film, starring Michael Douglas as the iconic Gordon Gekko, serves as a recruiting tool for traders, brokers, analysts, and bankers, but also warns about the dangers of insider trading. Its sequel, "Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps" (2010), is a sequel set against the backdrop of the 2008 financial crisis.
Another finance classic is "Glengarry Glen Ross" (1992), a movie about a team of real estate salesmen whose morals have been eroded after years of working for an unscrupulous company. The film offers a stark portrayal of the lengths people will go to in the pursuit of success.
"Boiler Room" (2000) delves into the world of pump-and-dump schemes, a method used by unscrupulous firms to manipulate the price of securities. The film provides a glimpse into the high-pressure world of stockbrokers and the tactics they employ to lure unsuspecting investors.
The movie "The Wolf of Wall Street" (2013) is a biopic about the stock scammer Jordan Belfort and his firm Stratton Oakmont. The film offers a vivid portrayal of the excesses of Wall Street, from drugs to prostitutes, and the lengths Belfort went to in his pursuit of wealth.
"Margin Call" (2011) takes place over 24 hours in a Wall Street firm on the brink of disaster, highlighting the trading of complex derivative instruments in the lead-up to the 2008 financial crisis. The film provides a chilling insight into the events that led to the crisis.
"Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room" (2005) is a documentary that argues that Enron was a con game almost from the beginning. The film delves into the corporate fraud and accounting loopholes that led to Enron's collapse.
The California energy crisis of 2001 was manipulated by Enron traders, who illegally shut down power plants and drove up the price of electricity. This scandal is documented in films like "The Corporation" (2003) and "Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room".
"Barbarians at the Gate" (1993) is a TV movie centered on the leveraged buyout of RJR Nabisco, while "Crypto" (2019) is a crime thriller about money laundering involving cryptocurrency.
More recent additions to the finance film genre include "The Big Short" (2015), which follows a few traders who become aware of the housing bubble that triggered the financial crisis in 2007-2008, and "Arbitrage" (2012), a movie about a wealthy hedge fund magnate who is trying to sell his empire before his fraud is exposed.
Lastly, "The Madoff Affair" (2009), "Chasing Madoff" (2011), "Madoff" (2016), and "The Wizard of Lies" (2017) are films and documentaries that delve into the life and crimes of Bernie Madoff, who ran a Ponzi scheme and stole over $64 billion.
These films offer a fascinating glimpse into the world of finance, providing a timely reminder that greed never really sleeps, especially on Wall Street. "The Wolf of Wall Street" and "Wall Street" are two films that are particularly noteworthy for their portrayal of stock market excess and fraud, while "Inside Job" is a documentary that offers a comprehensive analysis of the 2008 financial crisis. Each of these films serves as a reminder of the importance of ethical conduct in the financial world.
