FX.co ★ Top 7 must-watch movies for investors

The Big Short, 2015

This film shows how the United States housing bubble triggered the financial crisis of 2007. This is the story of Wall Street investors who discover that the United States housing market is extremely unstable and could soon collapse. Clearly, nobody believes them. Yet, they bet against market-based mortgage-backed securities for profit. The film won the Academy Award for the best-adapted screenplay. The Big Short is based on the non-fiction book “The Big Short: Inside the Doomsday Machine” by Michael Lewis.

Margin call, 2011

The story takes place during the 2008 financial crisis. The film depicts a bankruptcy, which shocked the whole world. It is about the collapse of Lehman Brothers, the fourth largest US investment bank. The plot of the financial thriller is based on these sad events. On the screen, we see behind the scenes of the tragedy – how employees are trying to save the bank. Margin call stars Academy Award winner Kevin Spacey who plays Sam Rogers, a trading floor manager at a Wall Street investment firm.

Too Big to Fail, 2011

This is a biographical drama based on Andrew Ross Sorkin's non-fiction book “Too Big to Fail: The Inside Story of How Wall Street and Washington Fought to Save the Financial System – and Themselves”. The story focuses on the global financial crisis and the problems that caused it. The protagonist in the film is former US Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson, who tries to stop the impending collapse at all costs.

The Wolf of Wall Street, 2013

This is a biographical film that tells the story of former stockbroker Jordan Belfort who founded one of the largest brokerage firms in the United States and went to prison for fraud 10 years later. After his release, Jordan Belfort makes a living as a motivational speaker and author of 2 books. The film is based on his memoir “The Wolf of Wall Street,” starring Leonardo DiCaprio.

Boiler Room, 2000

This crime drama film is also based on the biography of infamous Jordan Belfort. It tells the story of the Stratton Oakmont brokerage created by this New York swindler. For years, the company had run various fraudulent schemes and deceived its customers. As for the film, the focus here is on the dirty business of selling shares of fly-by-night companies.

Money Monster, 2016

Although this moving picture is not as well-known as the above-mentioned films, it has an equally captivating storyline. It is about popular TV host Lee Gates. In his TV program Money Monster, he regularly gives investment advice, but one day something goes wrong. An irate spectator, who followed the journalist’s recommendation and lost all his money, takes the TV host and his crew hostage. The film directed by actress Jodie Foster stars George Clooney and Julia Roberts.

Billions, 2016 – present

Billions is an American drama television series that premiered in 2016 and has since produced six complete seasons. In February 2022, the series was renewed for the seventh season. This financial saga tells the story of Wall Street genius Bobby Axelrod, who built his business into one of the industry's most successful firms thanks to investing. Steven Cohen, the founding father of the S.A.C. Capital Advisors hedge fund, is believed to be the inspiration for the billionaire character Bobby Axelrod.