Do you want to learn about making money in the stock market but need to find textbooks and investment novels that need to be more exciting to read? Don’t fret; there’s an alternative way to gain financial knowledge that is entertaining and educational – by watching stock market movies. You can learn about finance without spending hours poring over lengthy financial books.
For those who aren’t enthusiastic readers, watching informative movies or documentaries about the stock market can be a great alternative to gain knowledge about financial markets. By simply sitting on your couch and streaming stock market movies on your laptop, you can learn and explore a lot about stocks. This post highlights the Top 10 Stock Market Movies, such as “The Big Short,” that everyone should watch.
Ranking The Best Stock Market Movies By Reviews
Content Outline
1. The Wolf of Wall Street
- Google Users Rating: 91%
- IMDB Rating: 8.2/10
- Rotten Tomatoes: 80%
- Available OTT Platform: Prime Video
Directed by Martin Scorsese and written by Terence Winter, “The Wolf of Wall Street” is a 2013 U.S. biographical black crime comedy film. The movie is based on the 2007 memoir by Jordan Belfort, and it tells the story of his career as a stockbroker in New York City from his point of view. The film showcases how his firm, Stratton Oakmont, engaged in rampant corruption and fraud on Wall Street, ultimately leading to Belfort’s downfall.
The movie features Leonardo DiCaprio, who also served as a producer, playing the role of Belfort, Jonah Hill portraying his business partner and friend Donnie Azoff, Margot Robbie as his wife Naomi Lapaglia, and Kyle Chandler as FBI agent Patrick Denham, who attempts to bring Belfort to justice.
Although it received some moral criticism, “The Wolf of Wall Street” generally garnered positive reviews from film critics. The movie was nominated for numerous awards, including five categories at the 86th Academy Awards: Best Picture, Best Director, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Actor in a Leading Role for Leonardo DiCaprio, and Best Supporting Actor for Jonah Hill.
DiCaprio won the Best Actor – Musical or Comedy award at the 71st Golden Globe Awards, and the film was nominated for Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy. It ranked first on the list of top 10 stock market movies.
2. The Big Short
- Google Users Rating: 88%
- IMDB Rating: 7.8/10
- Rotten Tomatoes: 89%
- Available OTT Platform: Prime Video on Rent
Directed by Adam McKay, “The Big Short” is a 2015 American biographical comedy-drama film. The movie was written by McKay and Charles Randolph and is based on Michael Lewis’ 2010 book, “The Big Short: Inside the Doomsday Machine.” The film portrays how the housing bubble in the United States triggered the financial crisis of 2007-2008.
The film features a star-studded cast, including Christian Bale, Steve Carell, Ryan Gosling, and Brad Pitt. The supporting roles were played by Melissa Leo, Hamish Linklater, John Magaro, Rafe Spall, Jeremy Strong, Finn Wittrock, and Marisa Tomei. “The Big Short” was ranked second among the top 10 stock market movies.
3. Glengarry Glen Ross
- Google Users Rating: 84%
- IMDB Rating: 7.7/10
- Rotten Tomatoes: 95%
- Available OTT Platform: Youtube
David Mamet’s play “Glengarry Glen Ross” won the Pulitzer Prize in 1984. The play portrays the lives of four desperate Chicago real estate agents willing to resort to unethical and illegal acts such as lying, flattery, bribery, threats, intimidation, and burglary to sell unwanted properties to unsuspecting buyers. The play was based on Mamet’s experiences working in a similar office. The film adaptation was also based on space.
The play “Glengarry Glen Ross” had its world premiere on September 21, 1983, at the National Theater in London. Bill Bryden’s production at the Cottesloe Theater was praised for its outstanding ensemble performances. The play’s film adaptation was ranked third on the list of top 10 stock market movies.
4. Trading Places
- Google Users Rating: 88%
- IMDB Rating: 7.5/10
- Rotten Tomatoes: 88%
- Available OTT Platform: Hulu
Directed by John Landis and written by Timothy Harris and Herschel Weingrod, “Trading Places” is a 1983 American comedy film that features an ensemble cast including Dan Aykroyd, Eddie Murphy, Ralph Bellamy, Don Ameche, Denholm Elliott, and Jamie Lee Curtis.
The movie’s plot revolves around the lives of an affluent commodities broker (Aykroyd) and a struggling street hustler (Murphy). Both their worlds collide when they become the unknowing participants in a complex wager that tests how the two men will adapt to each other’s lives. This movie secured the fourth position on the list of top 10 stock market movies.
5. Wall Street 1987
- Google Users Rating: 85%
- IMDB Rating: 7.3/10
- Rotten Tomatoes: 79%
- Available OTT Platform: Hulu
Directed and written by Oliver Stone, Wall Street is a 1987 American drama film that features Michael Douglas, Charlie Sheen, Daryl Hannah, and Martin Sheen in lead roles. The movie revolves around Bud Fox (played by C. Sheen), a young stockbroker who gets involved with Gordon Gekko (portrayed by Douglas), a wealthy and ruthless corporate raider.
The movie was critically acclaimed, and Michael Douglas won the Academy Award for Best Actor for portraying Gordon Gekko. It has since become a classic representation of the excessive lifestyle of the 1980s, with Gekko’s famous line, “Greed, for lack of a better word, is good.”
The film also profoundly impacted the financial industry, with Sheen, Douglas, and Stone reporting that many people have approached them over the years to say that they pursued careers in finance because of their characters in the movie. “Wall Street” was ranked 5th among the top 10 stock market movies.
6. Too Big to Fail
- Google Users Rating: 82%
- IMDB Rating: 7.3/10
- Rotten Tomatoes: 77%
- Available OTT Platform: Hulu
Too Big to Fail is a biographical television drama premiered on HBO on May 23, 2011. The film is based on Andrew Ross Sorkin’s non-fiction book, Too Big to Fail: The Inside Story of How Wall Street and Washington Fought to Save the Financial System and Themselves (2009) and was directed by Curtis Hanson.
It received 11 nominations at the 63rd Primetime Emmy Awards. Paul Giamatti’s portrayal of Ben Bernanke won him the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Miniseries or Television Movie at the 18th Screen Actors Guild Awards. This movie was ranked 6 in the top 10 stock market movies list.
7. Barbarians at the Gates
- Google Users Rating: 88%
- IMDB Rating: 7.2/10
- Rotten Tomatoes: 71%
- Available OTT Platform: YouTube
Directed by Glenn Jordan and written by Larry Gelbart, Barbarians at the Gate is a 1993 American biographical comedy television film based on the 1989 book by Bryan Burrough and John Helyar. The Movie stars James Garner, Jonathan Pryce, and Peter Riegert and tells the true story of F. Ross Johnson, the president and CEO of RJR Nabisco.
The film generally received positive reviews from critics and was nominated for nine awards at the 45th Primetime Emmy Awards, winning one in the Outstanding Made for Television Movie category. Additionally, Garner won Best Miniseries or Television Movie and Best Actor in a Miniseries or Television Movie at the 51st Golden Globe Awards. This Movie ranked 7 in the list of top 10 stock market movies.
8. Margin Call
- Google Users Rating: 83%
- IMDB Rating: 7.1/10
- Rotten Tomatoes: 87%
- Available OTT Platform: Netflix
In his debut, J. C. Chandor wrote and directed Margin Call, a 2011 American financial drama film. The film features a star-studded cast, including Kevin Spacey, Paul Bettany, Jeremy Irons, Zachary Quinto, Penn Badgley, Simon Baker, Mary McDonnell, Demi Moore, and Stanley Tucci.
The primary plot unfolds over 24 hours in a prominent Wall Street investment bank at the early stages of the 2007-2008 financial crisis. It centers on the actions of a group of employees during the subsequent economic collapse. Margin Call ranked 8 in the list of top 10 stock market movies.
9. Boiler Room
- Google Users Rating: 70%
- IMDB Rating: 7.0/10
- Rotten Tomatoes: 66%
- Available OTT Platform: Prime Video on Rent
Boiler Room, a 2000 American crime drama film, was written and directed by Ben Younger and starred Giovanni Ribisi, Vin Diesel, Nia Long, Ben Affleck, Nicky Katt, Scott Caan, Tom Everett Scott, Ron Rifkin, and Jamie Kennedy. The concept for the film came to Younger when he applied for a job at the Sterling Foster brokerage firm. After observing the high-pressure and fraudulent practices of the company’s brokers, he knew that this was the subject of his movie.
The film received nominations for several awards, including the 2001 Black Reel Awards, British Independent Film Awards 2000, and Deauville Film Festival 2000. It won the Special Jury Prize at the Film Independent Spirit Awards in 2000. Boiler Room is ranked 9th in the top 10 stock market movies list.
10. Inside Job
- Google Users Rating: 92%
- IMDB Rating: 8.2/10
- Rotten Tomatoes: 98%
- Available OTT Platform: Hulu
Inside Job is a documentary directed by Charles Ferguson that delves into the 2008 financial crisis and its underlying causes. Through interviews with experts and insiders, the film uncovers the unethical practices, lack of accountability within the financial industry, and the failures of regulators and policymakers in preventing the crisis. The movie argues that the problem was not a mere accident but a result of a deeply flawed system in dire need of reform. The documentary offers a powerful critique of the financial system and calls for greater transparency and accountability.
In summary, Inside Job is an eye-opening and thought-provoking film that offers important insights into the causes and consequences of the global financial crisis, making it an essential viewing for anyone interested in understanding the dynamics of the modern economy.
Source: IMDB, Google Knowledge Panel.
Conclusion
Whether you are interested in pursuing a career in finance or not, these films are a must-watch for anyone curious about finance’s fascinating and sometimes bizarre world. As the saying goes, “truth is stranger than fiction,” The real-life events depicted in these films are often more shocking and unbelievable than any Hollywood fantasy.
From the 2008 financial crisis to the downfall of Enron and the Madoff scandal, these movies offer valuable insight into the inner workings of the financial industry and the sometimes disastrous consequences of greed and corruption. So, whether you’re an aspiring finance professional or just curious about the industry, these films are sure to educate and entertain.
Also, Read Our New Blog To Know About Bald And Bankrupt Net Worth.
Key Takeaways By Business Mavericks
It is always wise to have some understanding of finance to make informed investment decisions and comprehend the economic environment that could influence your investments.
However, many of us may not have enough time to read a finance book. Luckily, there are several stock market movies and series that are both enjoyable and informative. This Top 10 Stock Market Movies list includes movies filtered by both Google users’ and IMDB ratings.
