TOP-10 Movies About Investments and Traders

Do you know what can be more intense than the New Year hustle? The world of big money, financial frauds, and daring strategies! We have selected 10 movies (and series) for you where the stakes are so high that they will take your breath away. Get comfortable on the couch, pour yourself some tea (or something stronger), and dive into the backstage of Wall Street and beyond. Enjoy immersing yourself in the world of financial intrigues, where huge money, ambitions, and human destinies are at stake. So, let's go.

1. Dumb Money (Dumb Money, 2023)

Why Watch

• This is a comedy-drama directed by Craig Gillespie, based on Ben Mezrich's book "The Antisocial Network: The Short Squeeze of GameStop…". The film tells the story of the explosive surge in GameStop's stock in January 2021, when "ordinary" investors on Reddit decided to prove that Wall Street doesn't always win.

Who Stars

• Paul Dano plays Keith Gill (known online as Roaring Kitty) — a charismatic blogger and analyst who decided to take on hedge funds. Paul Dano often portrays characters with unconventional thinking: recall his impressive performance in "There Will Be Blood" and the recent "The Batman".

• The film also features Sebastian Stan, America Ferrera, Shaylinn Woodley, and other stars. Their characters are ordinary people inspired by Keith's story and ready to risk their savings for a big win (or just for fun).

What Hooks

• The atmosphere of a "financial Robin Hood," where retail investors decided to teach arrogant hedge funds a lesson.

• Shows the power of social media and bloggers capable of moving the stock market with a single video or meme.

"Essentially, it's a battle between the poor and the rich. And so far, the poor are winning."
(quote from "Dumb Money")

2. WeCrashed (WeCrashed, Series, 2022)

Why Watch

• A series about the rise and fall of WeWork, which grew from "simple coworking spaces" to a valuation of nearly $47 billion, only to crash shortly after. Based on the podcast WeCrashed and real events surrounding the company's IPO.

Who Stars

• Jared Leto as Adam Neumann. The actor (Oscar winner for his role in "Dallas Buyers Club") brilliantly transforms into the charismatic and eccentric entrepreneur.

• Anne Hathaway (Oscar winner for "Les Misérables") as Adam's wife, Rebecca Neumann, who has her own views on success and money.

What Hooks

• Shows the power of charisma and marketing: WeWork wasn't just selling workspaces but an "innovative lifestyle."

• Demonstrates how the thirst for expansion and inflated valuations can lead to a crash overnight.

"Our company is worth 47 billion! — And the profit?"
(the spirit of the series — when ambitions surpass reality)

3. Icahn: The Restless Billionaire (Icahn: The Restless Billionaire, 2022)

Why Watch

• A documentary from HBO about the legendary "activist investor" Carl Icahn, capable of shaking entire corporations with his deals.

Who Appears

• Carl Icahn himself in interviews, along with members of his family, business partners, and journalists. Among them is Andrew Ross Sorkin (a renowned financial columnist for the NY Times).

• Director Bruce David Klein gives a voice to both supporters and critics of Icahn, revealing his controversial reputation.

What Hooks

• Icahn shares how he started working as a waiter and playing poker before becoming the epitome of "activist investing" on Wall Street.

• You decide for yourself whether to consider him a "guardian of minority shareholders" or a "corporate raider" with a tough grip.

"He helped shareholders, including teachers and plumbers, but thousands of people lost their jobs because of his decisions."
(quote from the film)

4. Devils (Devils, Series, 2020)

Why Watch

• An exhilarating financial thriller set in London in 2011. The main character is a brilliant Italian trader suspected of dirty dealings.

Who Stars

• Alessandro Borghi (a famous Italian cinema star) as Massimo Ruggiero — the fearless trading genius.

• Patrick Dempsey (familiar to many from the series "Grey's Anatomy") as Dominic Morgan — the CEO and mentor of Massimo, who hides many dark secrets.

What Hooks

• A mix of drama, detective work, and financial intrigues: malicious intent, setups, thirst for success, and fatal secrets within the bank's top management.

• Rarely do series delve so deeply into the "kitchen" of currency speculation and shadow banking games.

"The greatest trick the devil ever pulled was convincing us he doesn't exist."
(leitmotif of the series)

5. Scam 1992: The Harshad Mehta Story (Scam 1992: The Harshad Mehta Story, 2020)

Why Watch

• An Indian series uncovering the most massive financial fraud in the country's history. Harshad Mehta executed deals that shook the economy of the entire nation.

Who Stars

• Pratik Gandhi as Harshad Mehta. He excellently portrays the journey from a "middle-class guy" to the "stock market king," orchestrating incredible schemes.

• Supported by Indian cinema actors who create the quintessential Bollywood atmosphere — emotional and vibrant.

What Hooks

• Viewers witness the colorful Bombay Stock Exchange, learn about "jobbers," insider information, and other trading tricks from the early '90s.

• The series shows how talent and determination can turn a person into a celebrity, but greed and addiction can destroy everything.

"For a Gujarati, trading is more important than religion."
(quote from Harshad Mehta — "Scam 1992")

6. Industry (Industry, Series, 2020)

Why Watch

• A drama from HBO about a group of young graduates willing to forget all manners for a spot in a prestigious London investment bank. Stress, fierce competition, and a very ambiguous corporate culture.

Who Stars

• Myha’la Herrold as Harper Stern — an American who moved to London for her dream career.

• Marisa Abela as Yasmin — an aristocrat also trying to prove she deserves a place in the bank.

• Harry Lawtey and David Jonsson complete the "team of rookies" with their own secrets and issues.

What Hooks

• The directors create a realistic atmosphere where young professionals have to fight not only against stress but also against the internal culture of a "pack of wolves."

• Shows how quickly friendships can be lost when multi-million-dollar deals are on the line.

"The only real currency you ever had as a salesperson is honesty."
(a bitter joke from senior bankers)

7. The Big Short (The Big Short, 2015)

Why Watch

• One of the most vivid films about the global financial crisis of 2007–2008, based on Michael Lewis's book. It won an Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay.

Who Stars

• Christian Bale as the eccentric genius hedge fund manager Michael Burry.

• Steve Carell portrays Mark Baum — a man who despises the banking system and isn't afraid to speak the truth.

• Ryan Gosling plays the frantic and ironic "trader-punk" Jared Vennett.

• Brad Pitt makes an unexpected appearance as a former banker who regrets participating in the economy's collapse bets.

What Hooks

• Complex terms like CDO and CDS are explained through bright, almost comedic scenes (Margot Robbie in a champagne bath or chef Anthony Bourdain in the kitchen).

• The film shows how the pride and greed of an entire system lead to a global collapse.

"Do you understand what you've done? You've bet against the American economy!"
(reaction of Wall Street "sharks")

8. The Wolf of Wall Street (The Wolf of Wall Street, 2013)

Why Watch

• A scandalously famous film by Martin Scorsese, based on Jordan Belfort's memoirs. It's a black comedy and a ruthless satire on the life of brokers in the '80s and '90s.

Who Stars

• Leonardo DiCaprio (nominated for an Oscar for this role, but he won for "The Revenant") as Jordan Belfort — charming, fearless, and money-hungry.

• Jonah Hill as Belfort's friend and partner, absurdly funny and reckless.

• Margot Robbie as Naomi — Belfort's wife, who also loves the luxurious life.

• Cameo by Matthew McConaughey with his already legendary "chest-thumping ritual."

What Hooks

• A combination of wild humor and a serious lesson on how quickly you can soar on manipulations and how painfully you can crash afterwards.

• Perhaps one of the most "shocking" films about Wall Street: no censorship in showing the vices of traders.

"The cheapest product is other people's opinions of you."
(immortal phrase of Jordan Belfort)

9. Margin Call (Margin Call, 2011)

Why Watch

• A film about how a major American bank, on the first night of the 2008 crisis, realizes that it has "toxic assets" on its balance sheet that could crash the company by morning.

Who Stars

• Kevin Spacey plays Sam Rogers — the head of the trading department, whose moral compass breaks when he needs to save the bank.

• Jeremy Irons as the unscrupulous top manager John Tuld, who believes that any means are good for survival.

• Paul Bettany, Stanley Tucci, Zachary Quinto, and Demi Moore — this "star team" showcases different facets of financiers' personalities.

What Hooks

• The events unfold over a single day — a true race for survival, where everyone wants to save their skin (and bonuses).

• An excellent example of how the thirst for profit and blind faith in the "eternal rise of markets" lead to catastrophe.

"Do you mean to tell me the music is stopping, and we're left with a big sack of toxic papers?"
(panicked banker’s reply)

10. Billions (Billions, Series 2016–2023)

Why Watch

• An epic showdown between hedge fund owner Bobby Axelrod and federal prosecutor Chuck Rhoades. Each season is a new "chess match" with multiple moves.

Who Stars

• Damian Lewis (Emmy and Golden Globe winner for "Homeland") as the charismatic investment genius Bobby "Axe" Axelrod.

• Paul Giamatti (Emmy and Golden Globe winner) plays the relentless prosecutor Chuck Rhoades, whose task is to pin Axelrod for insider schemes.

• Maggie Siff as Wendy — a psychologist and coach who works for the hedge fund but is also Chuck Rhoades' wife. Talk about a conflict of interest!

What Hooks

• The series deeply immerses viewers in the mechanics of hedge funds, vividly showing insider deals, manipulations, and legal loopholes.

• The heroes are equally smart and strong: it's not always clear who is "good" and who is "bad" — their lines blur.

"Hatred is the perfect source of energy. It continuously renews itself!"
(Bobby Axelrod)

In each of these films and series, you'll encounter real passions: brokers willing to do anything for quick money; ambitious startup founders convincing the world of their genius; calculated financiers shuffling billions like cards in a deck. The game here is always high-stakes — the bets are higher than anywhere else. Choose one (or several) of the films from the list to feel the full intensity of the financial ring and see how the thirst for success changes people.