At the beginning of the year is always great to feel inspired about your goals. If you are not fond of Christmas movies, try something different. We’ve prepared you a must-watch list that will be fresh all year long. Whether you’re a long-time fan of movies about wall street, or if you’ve just seen The Wolf of Wall Street and want to know more, this list has something for everyone. There is something new to learn from all of these, and if you want to start the new year with a head full of knowledge on finance and trade, these movies and TV shows are the perfect way to start.
Movies about Wall Street on Netflix
Hustlers: For those who want a more lighthearted watch, this drama-comedy fiction features four women who decide to swindle money from their rich Wall Street clients.
The Wolf of Wall Street: For anyone who hasn’t seen this classic tale about the glamorous yet corrupt life of a Wall Street stockbroker, this is your chance. Based on the real-life story of Jordan Belfort, it depicts how he climbed to the top of Wall Street through less-than-legal means.
Wall Street Movie Classics
While “The Wolf of Wall Street” is a classic stock market movie about wall street, there are other movies considered classics that are a must watch.
Wall Street (1987): Starring Martin Sheen and Oliver Stone, this 1987 drama shows the glamour of being a Wall Street businessman, while also showing the downfalls to greed and corruption in trade. If you’ve already seen “Wall Street”, consider watching the equally exciting sequel “Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps” starring Michael Douglas and Shia LaBeouf.
The Big Short: This movie presents the less glamorous side of the stock market, telling the story of how some Wall Street investors had identified issues with the market even before the economic crisis of 2008.
Boiler Room: What some would call a hidden gem of a movie, “Boiler Room” follows a young college-dropout, whose job in investment banking soon leads him down a path of corruption.
Trading Places: This 1983 comedy stars Dan Akroyd and Eddie Murphy as two brothers who decide to switch the positions of a street hustler and a broker to prove whether nature or nurture determines the outcome of your life.
The Best Documentaries about Wall Street
If documentaries are your cup of tea, here are some informative documentaries about Wall Street.
Inside Job: If you’re looking to know more about key historical events surrounding trade and the stock markets, “Inside Job” presents a detailed look at what happened during the 2008 global financial crisis. This documentary conducts interviews with major financial figures to uncover the hidden information behind a crisis that lost millions of people their financial stability.
Margin Call: “Margin Call” is a thriller based around the 2008 economic crisis. It is based on a true story, following its main characters - employees of a Wall Street investment bank - over a 24-hour period, at the beginning of the economic collapse.
Money, Power, and Wall Street: This TV documentary explores the issues with repairing the economy after the 2008 economic crisis.
The Best TV shows about Wall Street
While there are countless movies and documentaries about the stock market, the 2008 economic crisis, and Wall Street, there are many captivating TV shows, with the added bonus of the topic being broken into smaller, more easily-digestible chunks by splitting it into episodes. Here are some of the best TV shows about Wall Street.
The Wizard of Lies: Starring Robert De Niro and Michelle Pfeiffer, this drama-crime TV show is thrilling as it depicts the consequences of leading a fraudulent life on Wall Street, following this investment banker, the financial fraud he committed, and his subsequent arrest.
Black Monday: One of the more recent Wall Street TV shows, “Black Monday” is a 2019 dark comedy, and could be said to be the TV show about Wall Street right now. Taking its name from a common title given to the worst Wall Street stock market crash of 1987, this TV show follows Wall Street employees across the timespan of a year leading up to this infamous stock market crash.
TV shows about the stock market
Mad Money with Jim Cramer: This 2005 TV show, which is still running today, is a more informative insight into the stock market as a whole, coming from a professional financial manager. He teaches the tricks of stock market investing - what to do and what to avoid. This show is perfect for anyone who wants to start investing, or even get a better idea of the ins and outs of investing.
Bonus: Succession: While “Succession” isn’t primarily about Wall Street and the stock market, if you are looking for an interesting insight into business and trade, it is the perfect TV show. This drama series follows a family of excessively wealthy people, led by a power-hungry entrepreneur father, and depicts the possible downfall of a family business, and what the members of that family must do to prevent it.
Bonus: Books on Wall Street
If you are more of a bookworm - we have something for you as well.
The Physics of Wall Street: This book provides an in-depth look at the financial crisis of 2008 and ponders over the importance of physics in the stock market, and even how the people that were in charge at the time were not capable of understanding the market and thus using it properly.
Market Wizards: For those who want to sit down with a good book and understand the secrets of trade, Jack D. Schwager presents tips and tricks from the accounts of some of the most successful financial businessmen in this book.
There are countless stories and interpretations on Wall Street and the various crises that occured because of issues within Wall Street or accidents caused by the people at the helm. Be it movies about Wall Street, TV shows, or even books, there are multiple ways to learn more about the stock market and trade.
