In the dazzling world of cinema, movies that center on the high-stakes trading realm have a unique allure. Whether steeped in reality or spun from imaginative fiction, these films offer viewers a thrilling ride through the tumultuous waves of financial markets and the passionate individuals navigating them.
They serve a dual purpose — entertaining audiences with gripping storylines while shedding light on intricate trading strategies and the emotional rollercoaster traders often experience. From hard-hitting documentaries to dramatized tales, trading-centric films strike a chord with both industry pros and moviegoers.
Let’s delve into some iconic films that masterfully blend entertainment and education into the trading world.
1. Trading Places (1983) – Comedy
Trading Places tells the story of a hustler and a broker who switch places as part of a social experiment. The movie’s inspiration has been attributed to The Turtles, a group taught by Richard Dennis and William Eckhardt. They are known for their famous trading experiment that showcased how literally anybody can be taught to trade.
The movie takes viewers on a comedic rollercoaster, uncovering the characters’ story as they live through their new circumstances.
2. Ferris Bueller’s Day Off (1986) – Teen Comedy
Ferris Bueller’s Day Off is a teen comedy that, although not strictly delving into trading as a primary theme, provides a visual backdrop of Chicago’s rich trading history. The film tracks how Ferris Bueller takes a day off school to explore Chicago with his friends. In one of the scenes, the three friends park a Ferrari in a garage, and the parking attendants take it for a joyride. During their escapades, there’s a brief scene where they drive past the Chicago Board of Trade, one of the world’s oldest and most significant commodity futures exchanges.
3. Wall Street (1987) – Drama
Wall Street is one of the most famous trading movies. It follows the life of Gordon Gecko, a cutthroat corporate raider known for his “Greed is Good” speech. Michael Douglas’s portrayal of Gordon Gecko earned him the Academy Award for Best Actor. The film had a significant impact that led to a sequel in 2010 titled “Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps.” The sequel explores the relationships between finance, power, and morality further.
4. Working Girl (1988) – Comedy
Working Girl follows the life of a secretary who climbs the ranks in an investment bank while her boss is away. Her effort to achieve this in the absence of her boss presents a compelling narrative that showcases a combination of ambition, corporate intrigue, and gender dynamics. The movie captivates the audience with its relatable themes and engaging characters.
5. The Bonfire of the Vanities (1990) – A Satirical Dark Comedy
The Bonfire of the Vanities chronicles the story of a successful Wall Street bond trader and how his life unravels. The movie’s dark humor and social commentary highlight the clash of societal classes and the effect of unchecked ambition.
Before you decide to watch it, though, note that the movie was nominated for the Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Picture.
6. Glengarry Glen Ross (1992) – Drama
Glengarry Glen Ross is based on a play about four real estate salespeople who are given sales leads and then put in direct competition with each other. The movie introduces viewers to a high-pressure environment where these salesmen are pushed to play dirty because only the top two traders will keep their jobs. The fierce competition creates a tense and riveting narrative and delves deeper into the psychology of salesmanship. Al Pacino was nominated for an Oscar for his role in the film.
7. Pi (1998) – Drama/Thriller
Pi is the directorial debut of Darren Aronofsky. It follows the story of a number theorist who analyses the market and discovers a pattern that changes his life dramatically. His obsession with understanding the market’s underlying order intensifies, and he must deal with his discoveries’ consequences.
8. Rogue Trader (1999) – Biographical Drama
Rogue Trader tells the story of Nick Leeson crashing the 200-year-old Barings Bank through illegal “rogue trading,” which led to massive financial losses and the bank’s collapse. The movie explores his actions’ psychological and ethical implications, examining the pressures and temptations that accompany high-stakes trading.
9. Boiler Room (2000) – Drama
Boiler Room follows the story of a college dropout who goes from running an illegal casino to starting a shady boiler room — an office that makes cold calls to people to sell them stocks. The movie showcases a glimpse into the world of pump-and-dump schemes where unwitting investors are manipulated.
10. American Psycho (2000) – Satirical Horror
American Psycho is a movie adaptation of a 1991 novel by Bret Easton Ellis about Patrick Bateman – a Wall Street trader in the 1980s. He is an investment banker with a double life where he kills people in horrific ways. The movie explores Bateman’s descent into insanity as he indulges in extreme acts of violence.
11. The Pursuit of Happiness (2006) – Biographical Drama
The Pursuit of Happiness is a feel-good movie that brings a warm narrative to the trading movie landscape. In the film, Will Smith portrays a struggling individual experiencing financial hardship while he pushes for a better life for his son. It follows his journey from homelessness to an internship as a stockbroker.
12. Too Big to Fail (2011) – Biographical Drama
Too Big to Fail is an account of the 2008 financial crisis and the pivotal role of Lehman Brothers. Many notable figures from the financial world are portrayed in the movie by famous actors. It is a valuable resource for understanding the complexities of the financial crisis.
13. Margin Call (2011) – Drama
Margin Call is a story about the inner workings of an unnamed falling Wall Street investment bank during the subprime mortgage crisis. It captures the urgency and ethical dilemmas employees face as they confront impending doom. The captivating narrative won an Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay.
14. Arbitrage (2012) – Thriller Drama
Arbitrage is a story about an older, crooked hedge fund manager played by Richard Gere. It explores the intricate world of ethical dilemmas and financial maneuvering. Gere’s character depicts a web of deception as he tries to cover up a fatal accident while protecting his reputation and economic empire.
15. The Wolf of Wall Street (2013) – Biographical Dark Comedy
Leonardo DiCaprio stars in Scorsese’s The Wolf of Wall Street – a movie about the life of Jordan Belfort. The film explores his rise to glory, expansive life and financial maneuvers. It dives deep into the story of Belfort’s unethical methods and the vast culture of his firm. The movie received five Oscar nominations.
16. The Big Short (2015) – Biographical Comedy/Drama
The Big Short is based on a book of the same name from 2010. The movie depicts the lives and the struggles of several traders as they try to navigate the subprime mortgage crisis. It also delves into the reasons that triggered it, explaining complex topics and exploring the actions of different market participants. It won an Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay and was nominated for four others.
17. The Outsider (2016) – Drama
The Outsider, which also goes by the title Team Spirit, is another movie about a rogue trader. This French film tells the story of Jérôme Kerviel and his work at Société Générale. The movie sheds light on his motivations, pressures, and decisions that led to his unauthorized trading activities.
18. Equity (2016) – Drama
Equity offers a unique perspective on investment banking and Wall Street from a female-centered point of view. It portrays the career of Naomi Bishop, a senior investment banker with expertise in IPOs. As she navigates the challenges of her profession, she gets involved in a controversial tech IPO and looks for ways to navigate the consequences.
19. The Hummingbird Project (2018) – Drama/Thriller
The Hummingbird Project is a Canadian and Belgian co-production starring Jesse Eisenberg and Salma Hayek. It takes on the topic of high-frequency trading. The plot revolves around a stockbroker trying to set up an HFT project that leads to severe personal and professional complications.
Iconic Trading Movies Can Teach You a Lot About the Real World
Finance and trading have been a source of inspiration for movie makers, resulting in a wide array of movies portraying the complexities, triumphs, and ethical dilemmas prevalent in the industry. Each of the films listed above offers a glimpse into the multifaceted nature of trading.
While some of them are pure fiction, others are heavily related to the real trading world and can teach you a lot about how markets and different participants operate.
