Movies about money have a tendency to become a little more cliché than the others, and the cliche tends to be that the money-maker in question is a criminal of some sort (like in The Wolf of Wall Street). But they can also be about someone making money in a completely above-board and legal way (like in The Pursuit of Happyness).
The thing about money-makers is that we like watching how they got to where they got and what they did to get there. There is no doubt that some people work hard and do some great things. Others prefer to take the easy ride down the road.
While you may prefer to read some great books for entrepreneurs, businessmen, and startups if you want to learn real money-making skills, a movie is not less of a thing by any means.
So, with money and entrepreneurship in mind, at ListPink, we have made a list of 20 great movies money, wealth, and getting rich. Let’s explore the list.
1. The Wolf of Wallstreet | 2013 | 8.2 IMDB
The Wolf of Wall Street is the story of Jordan Belfort, a stockbroker who ran a boiler room that defrauded investors of tens of millions of dollars. Based on Belfort’s memoir of the same name, the film was directed by Martin Scorsese and stars Leonardo DiCaprio as Jordan Belfort.
The film is filled with sex, drugs, and unbridled decadence. It is not for the faint of heart or conservative audiences. The Wolf of Wall Street is a must-see film for those who are interested in the darker side of the financial industry.
2. The Founder | 2016 | 7.2 IMDB
Another movie about making money that is based on a true story, The Founder is a dramatized account of the rise of McDonald’s and the chain’s controversial founder, Ray Kroc. Michael Keaton plays Kroc and founder and entrepreneur Richard McDonald is portrayed by Nick Offerman. The film also stars Laura Dern, Linda Cardellini, Patrick Wilson, B.J. Novak, and John Carroll Lynch.
The film recounts the events that led Kroc to purchase the McDonald brothers’ franchise operation. The McDonald brothers are best known for their eponymous fast-food chain which today has more than 36,000 locations in over 120 countries.
3. The Big Short | 2015 | 7.8 IMDB
The Big Short is an adaptation of Michael Lewis’ book of the same name. The film follows the lives of several characters who accurately predicted the subprime mortgage collapse that led to the 2007-2008 financial crisis.
The Big Short was directed by Adam Mckay, who also directed Anchorman and Step Brothers. The film stars Steve Carell, Christian Bale, and Ryan Gosling.
Even though the film is a comedy, it still manages to get its point across. It depicts the real-life events leading up to the financial crisis of 2007-2008, and the devastating impact it had on the United States economy.
4. Limitless| 2011 | 7.4 IMDB
Limitless is a 2011 American thriller film directed by Neil Burger. The film is based on The Dark Fields, a novel by Alan Glynn. It stars Bradley Cooper, Abbie Cornish, Robert De Niro, and Anna Friel. The film follows Eddie Morra, who is discovered to have the ability to use a drug called NZT-48, which enhances his intellect to super-human levels.
Limitless is one of the most popular movies about making money, along with The Wolf of Wall Street, because it’s based on the premise that through the use of a drug, one can achieve success within 24 hours to achieve success.
The film has received positive reviews from critics, with praise directed to the film’s acting, visual style, and exploration of the potential dangers of nootropics.
5. American Hustle | 2013 | 7.4 IMDB
American Hustle is a 2013 crime drama directed and produced by David O. Russell and starring Christian Bale, Amy Adams, and Bradley Cooper. It was inspired by the FBI ABSCAM operation of the late 1970s and early 1980s.
The film received nine nominations at the 86th Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Director, and won three: Best Supporting Actress (Jennifer Lawrence), Best Original Screenplay (Eric Warren Singer and David O. Russell), and Best Hair and Makeup.
The film is loosely based on the FBI ABSCAM operation of the late 1970s and early 1980s, in which the FBI used a con artist to investigate corruption and bribery in the Philadelphia municipal government.
6. Molly’s Game | 2017 | 7.7 IMDB
Molly’s Game is a true story about Molly Bloom, a former Olympic-class skier who ran the world’s most exclusive high-stakes poker game for a decade before being arrested in the middle of the night by 17 FBI agents wielding automatic weapons.
The movie is an inspiring depiction of what it takes to be the best, but it is also a cautionary tale about how one woman’s dream of being a successful entrepreneur can turn into a very harsh reality.
7. Joy | 2015 | 6.6 IMDB
This 2015 film tells the story of Joy Mangano, a single mother from Long Island whose invention of a mop called the “Miracle Mop” turned her into a self-made businesswoman.
In the movie, Jennifer Lawrence plays Joy and Robert DeNiro portrays her father, who is a strong influence in her life. The film was nominated for a Golden Globe for Best Original Song.
If you are looking forward to being an entrepreneur, this movie will give you an insight into the life of a self-made businesswoman, who was able to turn her idea into a multi-million dollar business.
8. Slumdog Millionaire | 2008 | 8.3 IMDB
Danny Boyle’s Slumdog Millionaire is a surprising entry on this list of movies about making money. The 2008 film follows Jamal Malik, a young man from the slums of Mumbai, as he becomes a contestant on the Indian version of Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? The story is told through flashbacks as Jamal recounts his life story to the show’s host.
Slumdog Millionaire was a sleeper hit that earned eight Academy Awards, including the award for Best Picture. It is also one of the few movies about making money to win an Oscar for its screenplay.
9. War Dogs | 2016 | 7.0 IMDB
Based on a true story, War Dogs follows two friends from Miami Beach who land a $300 million contract from the Pentagon to arm America’s allies in Afghanistan. The film stars Miles Teller and Jonah Hill as the two young men, David Packouz and Efraim Diveroli, who start a business as arms dealers.
War Dogs is a movie about making money, but it is also a film about making a difference. The two friends begin their business as a way to help the United States by arming the allies of the United States. The story of these two young men is one that will inspire young entrepreneurs to take on the world.
10. Boiler Room | 2000 | 7.5 IMDB
Boiler Room is an American drama film about a young college graduate who gets a job at a brokerage firm that is involved in illegal activities. The film is based on a real-life brokerage firm that was shut down by the FBI in 1999.
Boiler Room is an ideal film for those who want to understand how financial scams work. The film was a commercial success and has inspired many other similar films.
11. Catch Me if You Can | 2002 | 8.0 IMDB
Catch me if you can is a 2002 American biographical crime film directed by Steven Spielberg and written by Jeff Nathanson. The film stars Leonardo DiCaprio and Tom Hanks, with Christopher Walken, Martin Sheen, and Nathalie Baye in supporting roles. The film is based on the life of Frank Abagnale, Jr. played by DiCaprio.
It tells the story of Frank Abagnale Jr., who, before his 19th birthday, successfully performed cons worth millions of dollars by posing as a Pan Am pilot, a doctor, and a legal prosecutor. The film is inspired by the life of Frank Abagnale, who, before his 19th birthday, successfully performed cons worth millions of dollars by posing as a Pan Am pilot, a doctor, and a legal prosecutor.
12. The Pursuit of Happyness | 2006 | 7.9 IMDB
The Pursuit of Happyness is the true story of Chris Gardner, an entrepreneur who struggled relentlessly to achieve success on his own terms, despite the obstacles of being homeless in the mid-1980s in San Francisco. He would have to prove himself to be a father to his young son in addition to trying to keep his business afloat.
The Pursuit of Happyness was nominated for two Academy Awards. It also won an NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Motion Picture. The film is very inspiring and set to show you that nothing is impossible.
13. The Social Network | 2010 | 7.8 IMDB
The Social Network is a film about the founding of Facebook and the events that occurred during its formative years. The story revolves around Mark Zuckerberg, a student who developed a program called Facebook while attending Harvard University.
The film shows its audience how a simple idea can be developed into a billion-dollar company. Before Facebook became a household name, it started as a social network that only Harvard students could access. The Social Network is an interesting story that shows how a simple idea can become a billion-dollar company.
14. Billionaire Boys Club | 1987 | 6.0 IMDB
Billionaire Boys Club is a true story set in 1980s California. The story focuses on a group of wealthy men who meet for cocktails and then engage in a financial scam. The group’s leader, Joe Hunt, recruits a number of his friends to help him in a land-speculation scam. The movie focuses on the group’s plan going awry when a member of the group falls in love with a woman who calls the police when she discovers the scam.
Billionaire Boys Club is both a comedy and a drama, a bit of a hybrid. It mixes humor with a serious subject in a way that is quite entertaining.
15. There Will Be Blood | 2007 | 8.2 IMDB
There Will Be Blood is the story of Daniel Plainview, a ruthless oil prospector in turn-of-the-century California. Plainview, played by Daniel Day-Lewis, becomes obsessed with finding oil, and will stop at nothing to get what he wants.
The film is one of the most critically acclaimed films of the 2000s. It won two Academy Awards, one for Best Actor (Daniel Day-Lewis), and one for Best Cinematography.
16. Wallstreet | 1987 | 8.1 IMDB
If you’re looking for a more traditional Wall Street film, then Wall Street is the movie for you. This movie covers the rise and fall of a young stockbroker, played by Charlie Sheen, who gets sucked into the world of greed and corruption at the fictional brokerage firm of Wallstreet.
Wallstreet is loved by both entrepreneurs and stockbrokers for its success story. While Wall Street may seem to be a typical Wall Street movie, it’s worth watching for the inspirational message about the value of hard work.
17. Casino | 1995 | 8.2 IMDB
Casino is a film based on the non-fiction book of the same name by Nicholas Pileggi. The film follows the exploits of real-life mobster Frank “Lefty” Rosenthal, who ran the Stardust, Fremont, and the Tangiers casinos in Las Vegas, Nevada, during the 1970s and early 1980s.
The movie was directed by Martin Scorsese and stars Robert De Niro as Frank “Lefty” Rosenthal, and Joe Pesci as Nicky Santoro, Rosenthal’s sidekick.
Casino was nominated for eight Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor in a Supporting Role (Joe Pesci), Best Actress in a Supporting Role (Sharon Stone), Best Costume Design, Best Film Editing, Best Original Music Score, and Best Adapted Screenplay.
18. Focus | 2015 | 7.4 IMDB
Focus is a crime drama that has a couple of Wall Street stockbrokers as the main characters. The movie is full of twists and turns as the protagonists will do whatever it takes to make money. Both Will Smith and Margot Robbie put in fantastic performances as they try to outsmart each other.
The film is a great game of cat and mouse. It is also a morality tale about how greed can change people.
19. Margin Call | 2011 | 8.0 IMDB
Margin Call is a 2011 American drama thriller film directed by J. C. Chandor about the early stages of the financial crisis of 2007–2008, culminating in the collapse of the global economy. The film takes place in the 24 hours leading up to the collapse of the fictional investment bank, ‘Oakway Capital’.
The film stars Kevin Spacey as CEO John Tuld, Paul Bettany as Eric Dale, a risk manager, and Jeremy Irons as Sam Rogers, a senior investment banker. Zachary Quinto plays a young trader, Peter Sullivan, who inadvertently causes the near-collapse of the banking system.
20. Trading Places | 1983 | 7.6 IMDB
Trading Places is a 1983 comedy that tells the story of a rich commodities broker and a homeless con artist who is involved in a bet that will swap their lives.
The film is a classic that has served as an inspiration for many films about making money. It stars Dan Aykroyd, Eddie Murphy, Jamie Lee Curtis, Ralph Bellamy, Don Ameche, Denholm Elliott, and Paul Gleason.
So, this was our list of great movies about money. Did you watch any of the films already? We would love to hear your thoughts. Did we miss any other great films on the topic? Let us know in the comments below.