Rebekah MayAnyone else feel like they’re best friends with their TV at the moment…? Phew, it’s not just me then!
If you’re on the hunt for some movie inspo, then look no further. We’ve rounded up a list of must-watch movies about money that will help you get through those long lockdown weekends. So grab the popcorn, get your comfies on and work your way through these must-watch movies about money, the stock market, and… robbing a bank.
Four Movies About The Stock Market
1. The Big Short (2015)
The Big Short follows the story of a hedge fund manager who realises that the U.S housing market is extremely flawed and corrupt, built on a bubble that he predicts will burst in a matter of years.
Sounds quite serious, right? Well, the film is surprisingly funny and entertaining thanks to its director, Adam Mckay (also of Step Brothers and Anchorman). Adam uses unconventional techniques to help explain different financial concepts – like what a subprime mortgage is. Perfect for anyone not familiar with the ins and outs of banking.
It also has an incredible cast, with stars including Christian Bale, Steve Carrell, Brad Pitt and Ryan Gosling. Definitely a must-watch movie about money.
2. The Wolf Of Wall Street (2013)
The Wolf Of Wall Street is a dark comedy, mixed with crime and drama that includes a star studded cast of Leonardo DiCaprio, Jonah Hill, Margot Robbie and Matthew McConaughey.
It follows the journey of Jordan Belfort (Leonardo DiCapri), from his rise as a super wealthy stockbroker living a life of luxury, to his dramatic fall involving money laundering, fraud, corruption and ultimately the federal government.
We see how Jordan starts off by taking an entry level role at a Wall Street firm, to owning his own firm, making millions of dollars in the process by defrauding wealthy investors out of huge sums of money.
Some have questioned how well the film represents Wall Street, but either way it’s a highly entertaining watch.
3. Margin Call (2011)
A senior risk analyst at a large investment bank is forced to leave the company, right before he can complete a major task he’s been working on. Before he leaves, he quickly passes this “task” over to one of his colleagues, who discovers that the company is on its way to financial disaster.
In this extremely gripping film you watch how he manages the troublesome situation over a 24 hour period, trying everything he can to stop the firm’s collapse.
You don’t need to understand much about the stock market to follow the film, but unlike The Big Short where they pause to explain certain financial topics, Margin Call does leave the audience to work out the implications of what is happening for themselves.
4. Limitless (2011)
Next on our list of must-watch movies about money we have Limitless.
Limitless is a science fiction thriller that’s based on the novel The Dark Fields by Alan Glynn. It has a star-studded cast featuring Bradley Cooper, Robert De Niro, Abbie Cornish, and Anna Friel.
It follows the life of a struggling writer (Bradley Cooper) who is given a new drug called NZT-48, which gives him access to the full extent of his brain’s capabilities.
We watch as the drug improves his focus, motivation, and ambition, ultimately allowing him to make great progress in the stock market.
Three Movies About Money Heists
1. Now You See Me (2013)
Now You See Me is a film about an FBI Agent and an Interpol detective who are trying to catch a group of illusionists who pull off bank heists as part of their performance.
The magicians stage these huge robberies, and then reward their audiences by giving the money away.
It’s a hugely entertaining film, with aspects of magic, sci-fi and thriller vibes thrown in for good measures. It stars big name actors like Jesse Eisenberg, Woody Harrelson, Dave Franco, and Mark Ruffalo.
2. Baby Driver (2017)
Baby Driver is an action packed film about an orphans life as a getaway driver for Doc, a master-criminal. We follow how Baby craves a normal life, free of crime and money heists, but how he’s pulled back into the world of crime by Doc time and time again.
Baby Driver is unlike other money heist films and at times feels like more of a musical comedy/ thriller!
It’s slick, stylish, has tonnes of great getaway scenes (which can be pretty intense at times), and comes with one of the best movie soundtracks we’ve heard for a while.
3. Inside Man (2006)
Inside Man is an American heist crime/ thriller film, which follows an elaborate heist on a Wall Street bank. Over a 24 hour period, you see Detective Keith Frazer (Denzel Washington) try to solve the bank robbery, which quickly escalates to involve a group of hostages.
This film will definitely have you on the edge of your seat.
Three Other Movies About Money
1. The Pursuit Of Happyness (2007)
The Pursuit Of Happyness is an American drama starring Will Smith as Chris Gardener.
It follows San Fran salesman (Will Smith) as he invests his life savings in a portable scanner, which he tries to then sell on to doctors for profit. Sales don’t go well, and Chris finds himself seriously struggling for money.
We then watch as Chris slowly starts to turn his life around. A true tale of hard work and determination finally paying off. Will Smith’s son Jaden also appears in the film, delivering a completely adorable performance.
2. The Banker (2020)
Set in the 1960s, we see two African-American entrepreneurs hatch a genius plan to fight for equal housing rights, by hiring a working class white man to head their business empire… while they pose as a janitor and a chauffeur.
There’s lots of banking jargon, which isn’t over-simplified in the film, but this makes for an interesting and intellectual watch. If you want to watch a film about money that also shows the powers of hard work, self belief and perseverance then this is it!
3. Trading Places (1983)
Last on our list of must-watch movies about money is Trading Places.
An oldie but a goodie, this comedy shows homeless Billy Ray (Eddie Murphy) switching places with super-wealthy Louis (Dan Aykroyd), who works at a brokerage firm in Philadelphia.
The owners of the firm make a bet to see what would happen if the two men’s lives were reversed, which leads to an interesting and humorous watch.
Need a reminder to treat others like you want to be treated? This movie does just that.
Summary
Here’s our list of must-watch movies about money for you to binge watch during lockdown. We hope you enjoy them all, and who knows, you might even learn a thing or two about money!
If you want to continue upping your finance game, then why not check out this list of our favourite financial podcasts? Or, our favourite money books?
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