The 15 Best Wall Street Movies Ever Made
The instant classic The Wolf of Wall Street certainly shows a particular side of life in the big leagues. But countless other movies depict working life on the most fast-paces street in the world. Here’s a look back at some of the best Wall Street movies ever made (that may not even take place on Wall Street).
15. Pi
A paranoid yet genius mathematician tries to use numbers to make sense of the world around him. In this 1998 film, his mathematical know-how gains the attention of Wall Street execs and others in the financial sector.
14. Arbitrage
A hedge fund magnate wants to sell his trading empire in this 2012 thriller. Secrets of underhanded trades and personal skeletons in the closet threaten the major sale.
13. Margin Call
Taking place in a single 24-hour period, this 2011 movie shows the immediate reactions of key executives at an investment bank when news first hits regarding the financial crisis.
12. Capitalism: A Love Story
A Michael Moore film that explores the root causes of the global economic meltdown and takes a comical look at the corporate and political shenanigans that culminated in what Moore has described as the biggest robbery in the history of this country the massive transfer of U.S. taxpayer money to private financial institutions.
11. Trading Places
A successful brokerage firm investor and a street hustling con artist have their roles reversed in this 1983 comedy starring Dan Aykroyd and Eddie Murphy.
10. Rogue Trader
This 1999 movie follows an ambitious investment banker played by Ewan McGregor. Breaking rules and left and right to make a profit, he eventually singlehandedly bankrupts the major bank he works for.
9. The Bonfire of the Vanities
A Wall Street bigwig played by Tom Hanks sees his life unravel in this 1990 drama/comedy. A journalist puts his life in the spotlight just as everything goes wrong.
8. Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room
This 2005 documentary about the now-obsolete Enron Corporation details its corrupt business practices and how bad business led to the company’s infamous demise.
7. Too Big to Fail
The 2011 film goes into the nitty gritty details behind the 2008 financial meltdown, giving a behind-the-scenes look at how giant corporations failed and earned themselves the controversial government bailout.
This 2009 Michael Moore documentary takes a look at how corporate interests continue to shape and dominate American life.
6. The Pursuit of Happyness
Based on a true story, this 2006 film shows a struggling, homeless father become an incredibly successful stockbroker on Wall Street. He struggles to make ends meet while following his dreams.
5. American Psycho
Christian Bale stars in this 2000 movie about a Wall Street professional becoming increasingly insane.
4. Glengarry Glen Ross
This 1992 drama takes place in Chicago but has all the makings of a Wall Street movie. It tackles the high-stakes world of real estate, sales and big bonuses.
3. The Wolf of Wall Street
You’ve heard enough about this new movie by now, but it’s still earned a place on the list. It’s about the somewhat fabricated life of big-time Wall Street exec Jordan Belfort and his extravagant lifestyle.
2. Boiler Room
This 2000 film tells the story of a college dropout getting a job as a broker for a suburban investment firm, which puts him on the fast track to success, but the job isn’t as legitimate as it sounds.
1. Wall Street
This 1987 Charlie Sheen classic follows a young stockbroker as he tries to become instantly successful. Inside trading and shady deals abound, giving an early look into modern Wall Street. The movie’s 2010 sequel, Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps, wasn’t quite a hit.