From wall street wizards to growing businesses, there is nothing more dramatic and entertaining than watching movies about people making money. We all want to get filthy rich and these movies make us believe that we are just one step away from being so. Here are some of the top money movies you will enjoy watching.
The Wolf of Wall Street
It will not be fair to start this list without the great cult classic from the subgenre- The Wolf of Wall Street. Directed by legendary director Martin Scorsese, the movie is undoubtedly the most awesome Wall Street movie to be made. Leonardo plays the main role of Jordan Belfort, a stockbroker who scams investors for millions of money. What makes this move unique is that it gave us some of the juiciest insights about the infamous greed of Wall Street. You may find it surprising that the story was actually based on a true story.
Wall Street (1987)
Since we are talking about Wall Street, there is one other movie that you would love to watch. The 1987 movie Wall Street has Michael Douglas playing the role of a greedy businessman who represents the many corporate riders and stockbrokers who were doing fraudulent business in Wall Street during the ’80s. The movie made popular the quote “Greed is good”, and shaped the way how most of us view the financial industry. There is also a 2010 sequel to the movie.
Catch Me If You Can (2002)
Leonardo Di Caprio looks so good in movies where he scams and becomes rich. Before he captivated audiences in The Wolf of Wall Street, he acted in Catch Me If You Can as Frank Abagnale, a real-life character who conned his way to work as a doctor, lawyer, and copilot before he was even 21.
Although these movies are entertaining to watch, scamming is not the right way to make money, and trying out these moves in real life can land you in prison for a lifetime.
The Pursuit of Happyness (2006)
There are plenty of real-life stories of people making their way from rags to riches. It takes a lot of hard work, dedication, and courage to achieve the unachievable and The Pursuit of Happyness is about one such tale. Starring Will Smith, the movie is about a struggling single father and salesman named Chris Gardner who is struggling to make ends meet. He loses his house, wife, and money over a product that he was never able to sell. However, he does not give up on his dreams.
The Big Short (2015)
The world suffered a lot from the financial crisis that occurred in 2007-2008. Many people were affected and even today the incidents haunt them. Based on a bestseller by Michael Lewis, director Adam McKay made a movie with a bevy of talented actors. Skillfully weaving complex financial terms into an entertaining drama movie, there is something about this movie that will surely appeal to everyone.
Limitless (2011)
The popular myth is that we use only 10% of our human brain. Limitless picks on this idea and has a struggling writer unleashing his brain’s capacity when he uses an illegal black-market drug. Bradley Cooper plays the lead role as the writer. The drug takes his brain to its full power and he uses his brain to finally end up being a Wall Street genius. Guess most of these movies are about Wall Street. As long as there keep it entertaining, it doesn’t matter.
Moneyball
Here is the story of how one man changed the conventions of Major League Baseball bring replacing conventional wisdom with data analytics strategy. Brad Pitt plays the main role of Billy Beane, the Oakland Athletics manager. Released in 2011, the movie also featured a memorable performance from Jordon Hill- one that redefined his acting career.
Margin Call (2011)
Marking the feature directorial debut of JC Chandor, Margin Call is a financial drama that walks us through a full day in a Wall Street investment bank during one of the initial phases of the 2007-2008 financial crisis. The movie is a candid look at the greed and fraudulent behavior of many Wall Street companies that eventually led to such an economic collapse in the US economy.
Boiler Room (2000)
Before racing cars and jumping of exploding buildings, Vin Diesel was actually part of a 2000 investment drama titled the Boiler Room. The movie is about a college dropout using aggressive cold calling to turn from illegal casinos to what seems like a legal investment business. Working as a broker in an investment firm in the suburbs quickly puts him on a successful path. However, it turns out that the job is not as legitimate as he thought it would be.
Trading Places (1983)
Ever wondered what would happen if you put Eddie Murphy in a brokerage firm. Apparently, the makers of Trading Places were also wondering the same. The actor plays the role of Billy Ray, a homeless man who swaps roles with a rich man working in a commodity brokerage firm. The result is truly surprising and also incredibly funny. The movie also reveals that when people are given the right opportunity that can bring amazing changes.
Office Space (1999)
Let’s take a break from all the Wall Street drama and look into the humdrum lives of some software company employees. They live a depressingly dull life, with the constant fear of facing layoffs, unemployment, and workplace pressure. However, for Peter Gibbons, things started to take turns for the good when he stopped caring. He gets a huge promotion and other benefits. The movie is funny to the core and has some really cool memorable moments.
The Company Men (2010)
When the company they have worked for decided to downsize due to recession, three men had the unfortunate fate of facing unemployment and its impact on their lives. They had to go through a lot of struggle to reclaimrespect and find a new direction for their lives. Directed by John Wells, The Company Men has an impressive list of actors which includes Ben Affleck, Tommy Lee Jones, Chris Cooper, and Kevin Costner. The movie is undoubtedly one of the best movies in the list.
