Finance Films I Can’t Wait to Watch

Films about trading or finance can easily fall into cliched genre stereotypes. Smart, young guy from low-income background, gets his lucky break into major-league corporate firm led by guru financial/fintech wizard, throws his ethics away along with his Southern US drawl / Northern UK burr. Cue exciting fast cut scenes of debauchery on yachts/clubs/private islands with bevvy of bikini clad girls and fine white powder. And of course, the day of reckoning comes, and someone has to pay the piper and that’s usually our guy who if he’s lucky scrapes his way back to redemption and returns to his hometown to marry the sweetheart he left behind who has thoughtfully waited for him.

The scary thing about all this is that often they are based (albeit loosely) on true stories.

Even with their formulaic story lines I’m drawn back again and again to these movies. And there have been some real zingers that have become iconic. I’m looking at you Glengarry Glen Ross (1992) and The Wolf of Wall Street (2013).?From sumptuous writing, sharp directing, inspired cinematography and on-the-money performances we’ve been treated to a feast of finance films.

With Succession taking a wrap (sob!), I’m taking a look at some of the upcoming finance films to relish this coming summer/autumn. I’m also throwing in a spattering of foreign language and slightly older series/films, and if you make it to the end – my top finance films of all time. All of it.

The Beanie Bubble (July 28, 2023)

The colourful, zany trailer for this has definitely got Barbie vibes. Drawing inspiration from America's biggest toy craze ever, it demonstrates how limited production and personalisation can impact a product's demand. Remember the heart-shaped tag on the Beanie Babies plush toys that had its name, birth date and a little poem? It might have seemed batty at that time, but it built a bond between the toy and its owner that led to the Beanie Babies’ huge success. With Zach Galifianakis in the lead role, I’m expecting this to be nicely insane.

Dumb Money (September 22, 2023)

The epic GameStop short squeeze of 2021 was ripe for movie making and finally someone did. It shows how deeply social media has impacted our lives and the financial markets. Also, the movie highlights how for the first time in the history of Wall Street, retail traders turned the tables on the big boys. In a David vs Goliath scenario, it tells the story of how hedge funds bore multi-billion-dollar losses at the hands of a few “smart” social traders. What I like about the trailer is that it seems to understand the comedy of the situation and dive into it. It’s a great example of how much social sentiment can move the markets – something we’re likely to see more of. In fact, the GameStop frenzy made way for the Bed Bath and Beyond and AMC short squeezes and led to the coining of the term, 'meme stock'.

Bank of Dave (August 25, 2023)

Based on the true story of Dave Fishwick (admittedly dramatized), this is a real rags-to-riches story. It also highlights a transformational moment in British banking, when an individual who lent out money to those who lost out in the 2008 crisis decides to establish a bank that turns him into a millionaire. Dave’s story shows the importance of timing in the financial markets. Another David and Goliath take – hmm, I’m sensing a theme here.

Image Source: Bank of Dave Trailer

Films or Series to Catch if You Missed

A few recent (and not so recent) releases that I enjoyed.

The Dropout (2022)

A dramatization of the 2017 documentary, The Inventor: Out for Blood in Silicon Valley, The Dropout is the story of Elizabeth Holmes, the founder of Theranos. Holmes became the youngest self-made female billionaire after she convinced investors, journalists and the healthcare industry of her innovative biotech solution that would revolutionise diagnosis. She amassed billions of dollars before her scam was finally exposed. Impressive performance by Amanda Seyfried who seemed to bend and reshape her face, posture and body to become Holmes.

Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room (2005)

Another documentary film on how people were conned out of millions follows the Enron saga. The movie might have been made before Gen Alpha was a twinkle in their mothers’ eyes, but it still makes for a thrilling watch. It shows how addictive trading can be, especially when profits “appear” to be rolling in.

Fyre: The Greatest Party That Never Happened (2019)

This immensely slick production tells the story of the nightmare that played out at the Fyre music festival in 2017. And once again reveals the dangers of greed and the availability of ready capital.

The Fear Index (2022)

This four-part limited series is based on Robert Harris’ bestseller with the same name. This financial thriller is a sneak peek into the life of a hedge fund with its genius founder and charismatic CEO seeking funding from the big players. It brings the latest innovation to the financial markets – using AI to predict market events. While huge datasets might be crunched to give a view of a possible future, the unpredictable can still derail the best laid plans. It also touches upon (a sidetrack from the main story) AI and risk exposure, highlighting that we still can’t completely do away with human intelligence. It also shows how much fear impacts our decision-making and overall behaviour.

Foreign Film Watchlist

I prefer to watch foreign language films with subs in English and here are some juicy ones in the finance genre to get your teeth into.

Vikings vs. Wolves– the Battle of Finance (2019, Norway):

The movie shows the never-ending tug-off-war between short and long-term players in the financial markets. It highlights the disruptive power money has to change the world in the right hands. It talks of the impact of AI, greed and unprecedented problems, such as climate change, food shortages, etc., on the financial world.

Money (2019, South Korea)

Another deliciously written tale, this time about a newbie stockbroker wanting to make it big. As with all traders who aim to make big money quick, our protagonist also becomes vulnerable to stock market scams. Emotions influence his behaviour and decisions, which as any experienced trader will tell you is a major no-no!

The Founder (December 16, 2016)

Possibly one of the best performances by Michael Keaton, the story of the founder of McDonalds is different from the rest of my list of financial thrillers because it doesn’t give easy answers on what’s right or wrong. Ray Kroc ruthlessly connived to get rid of the original founders of what has today become the best-known fast-food chain in the world. Ultimately, whether it was an elaborate scam or a business built from the ground up, the first spark is always an idea that disrupts existing systems.

Final Mentions

I just can’t end this piece without mentioning a couple of my other absolute faves along with Glengarry Glen Ross (Mamet is a writing-God) and The Wolf of Wall Street. These are The Big Short (hefty talent with legendary moments), and Margin Call (a gripping film that requires you to think). No finance film binge is complete without them.

What would you add to this list and why?