Only Jordan Belfort Knows These Finance Movies

Who knew that the world of finance could be so darn cool? Trust Hollywood to make the dry industry of economics and statistics and stocks and figures and projections and earnings exciting. Oliver Stone made the financial industry intriguing with his movie Wall Street, which gave us an iconic villain in the form of Gordon Gekko, who insists that democracy is dead and greed, for lack of a better word, is good. Gekko taught us that everything is just numbers and figures on a computer screen somewhere. Money doesn’t actually exist. Stocks don’t actually exist. That movie was a mind blower. And then Martin Scorsese made the world of stockbroking an exciting thing in The Wolf of Wall Street, which told the life story of a real Wall Street mogul named Jordan Belfort. He didn’t just spend his career sitting in an office, crunching numbers. Belfort got into so many depraved acts that you could be excused for getting a financial drama movie confused with a raunchy R-rated comedy like The Hangover. Point is, with various different styles and tones, Hollywood has given us some really awesome finance movies over the years. How many of these finance movies can you name?

Question 1

What Oscar-winning meta comedy is this?

This movie came out in 2015 around the same time as Star Wars: The Force Awakens, and it’s about the world of finance, and it still managed to do really well at the box office. This movie was nominated for five Academy Awards at the 2016 ceremony, including the trophies for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Supporting Actor for Christian Bale, Best Film Editing, and Best Adapted Screenplay, but it only won the latter one. So, which movie is this?

Question 2

What is this Bernie Madoff biopic?

The story of Bernie Madoff and his many scams and tricks was definitely ripe for the silver screen, and last year, HBO made that happen. The movie was directed by Barry Levinson and Madoff was played by the great Robert De Niro, alongside other cast members like Michelle Pfeiffer and Hank Azaria. Point is, there’s a lot of strong talent in this movie. It may not be perfect, but it is watchable and entertaining. What 2017 TV movie is it?

Question 3

What banking crisis drama is this?

The Great Recession took place over the course of 2007 and 2008. People lost their houses, the banks were going crazy – it was a wacky time. This movie, written and directed by JC Chandor, was released in 2011 in response to the crisis. It’s sort of tarred now by the brush of the sexual assault allegations made against its star Kevin Spacey, but there are other great actors in the movie, including Demi Moore, Paul Bettany, Jeremy Irons, and Zachary Quinto. What movie is it?

Question 4

What is this baseball finance movie?

Not all movies about the world of finance are set on Wall Street. This one is set in the typically dry world of baseball finance. Most baseball movies are set on the field, and tell the stories of the players, both on and off the mound. But this one is about how the money gets shuffled around. How is it interesting? Well, the cast of Brad Pitt, Jonah Hill, and Philip Seymour Hoffman certainly helps. So, what movie is it?

Question 5

What is this stockbroker biopic starring Leonardo DiCaprio?

There's probably a bunch of kids in college right now studying economics thanks to this movie. It does make being a stockbroker look like a lot of fun. It's based on the memoirs of Jordan Belfort, the finance mogul who flew too close to the sun on wings of cocaine and hookers and yachts and greed. Leonardo DiCaprio stars as Belfort, in his most recent collaboration with his Gangs of New York and The Aviator director Martin Scorsese. The movie is three hours long, but there is not a dull moment. When it was released in 2013, it was dubbed "Goodfellas meets The Hangover," because it's a criminal rise and fall, but it's also filled with debauched R rated antics and raunchy humor. What movie is it?

Question 6

What is this Nick Leeson biopic called?

This movie is a British financial drama based on the life story of the financial broker Nick Leeson, who was heavily involved in the collapse of Barings Bank back in 1995. Leeson is played by the great Ewan McGregor, who was hot off his breakout role as a heroin addict in Danny Boyle’s Trainspotting, and he stars alongside Anna Friel, who has recently returned to the spotlight. The book this movie is based on is subtitled How I Brought Down Barings Bank and Shook the Financial World, but the movie just keeps the original title. What is it?

Question 7

What Dan Aykroyd/Eddie Murphy comedy is this?

One element that can improve financial movies above the dry area of money getting discussed and stocks getting sold and numbers moving from one cell on a spreadsheet on a computer screen to another is to fill it with humor. That’s what John Landis did with this comedy movie that combines the talents of Dan Aykroyd and Eddie Murphy at the height of their talents in an ‘80s blend of financial humor and a study of the class system. What movie is it?

Question 8

What is this Oliver Stone-directed classic?

This movie encapsulates the style and feel of the 1980s, particularly in New York where it is set. It was written and directed by Oliver Stone, the controversial political filmmaker, and in the film, he suggests that America is not a democracy and that it is led purely by greed and the thirst for more money and how enough is never enough. Michael Douglas stars as the iconic Gordon Gekko and Charlie Sheen stars alongside him as his budding young protege, aptly named Bud. The late 2000s recession and banking crisis inspired Stone to make a sequel, but no sequel could ever live up to the originality and the darkness and the depth and the ferocity of this original. What movie is it?

Question 9

What Coen brothers comedy is this?

The Coen brothers, Joel and Ethan, are responsible for some of the funniest comedy movies ever made. This one is based in the industry of finance, as a greedy business mogul plans to buy a majority share in his company and take over it. However, he has to lower the value of the stock before he can do that – what follows this is a wacky, Coens-y caper that involves Tim Robbins and Jennifer Jason Leigh. But what movie is this?

Question 10

What HBO financial drama movie is this?

The nonfiction book that this HBO financial drama movie is based on has the title of the movie as its main title and is subtitled either “The Inside Story of How Wall Street and Washington Fought to Save the Financial System – and Themselves,” or “Inside the Battle to Save Wall Street,” depending on the edition of the book that you’ve bought. It was written by Peter Gould, one of the two creators of Better Call Saul. What movie is this?

Question 11

What is this Michael Moore documentary about the 2008 banking crisis?

Michael Moore has made documentary movies about a lot of things. He’s taken on the 9/11 terrorist attacks, the downfall of General Motors, the administration of George W. Bush, the absence of universal healthcare in America – tons of subjects. He’s been controversial with conservatives for his liberal agenda. That extends to this movie about the 2008 banking crisis, in which he goes into the office of Goldman Sachs and attempts to carry out a citizen’s arrest on the board of directors. What movie is it?

Question 12

Which Richard Gere financial thriller is this?

As far as financial movies go, this is definitely one of the most tense and thrilling of the lot. It stars a terrific cast of Richard Gere, Susan Sarandon, and Tim Roth and it was written and directed by Nicholas Jarecki. It tells the story of a hedge fund manager who lands in hot water. This movie holds the record for the highest grossing “day and date” independently produced film of all time, which is quite some achievement. So, what movie is it?

Question 13

What star-studded drama is this?

Written and directed by John Wells, this movie stars a cast of hugely popular and famous actors, including Ben “Batfleck” Affleck, Kevin Costner, Chris Cooper, and Tommy Lee Jones. However, despite all of the A list talent in the cast, this movie still managed to tank at the box office. This is partly due to the stilted and rushed theatrical run, which was hashed out in time for the Oscars race (which was futile, sadly). But what movie is it?

Question 14

What is this Michael Mann-directed 60 Minutes movie adaptation?

Michael Mann is a very talented filmmaker and he really knows how to tell a sprawling story of crime and betrayal and intrigue. This is one of his most underrated movies, despite its Best Picture nomination. It’s an adaptation of a 60 Minutes segment about a guy who blew the whistle and exposed the corruption and shady dealings going on within the tobacco industry. It stars Al Pacino and Russell Crowe in two of their best roles. What movie is it?

Question 15

What movie adaptation of a David Mamet play is this?

This movie is based on a beloved David Mamet play of the same name that was dubbed “Death of a F**king Salesman,” since it’s basically Arthur Miller’s classic work Death of a Salesman, except with much more swearing. In the movie version, Alec Baldwin’s successful character is brought in to whip some salesmen into shape. He famously says, “The leads are weak? You’re weak!” This movie failed at the box office, but it’s really quite brilliant. What movie is it?

Question 16

What is this acclaimed documentary?

This documentary began with some writers for Fortune magazine who wanted to tell its story, a very important and mind-blowing one. It’s from the same director who would later expose the Catholic Church sex abuse scandal and the Church of Scientology. This documentary is generally considered by critics to stand among the greatest documentary films ever made. It was even nominated for Best Documentary Feature at the Academy Awards in its year of release. What is the name of the movie?

Question 17

What mysterious thriller about a banker’s head trip is this?

In this movie, directed by the great David Fincher of Fight Club and Se7en fame, a banker played by Michael Douglas receives a weird gift from his estranged brother Sean Penn for his 48th birthday – it’s a real life game in which strange props and characters start to appear in his life, traumatizing the hell out of him, all leading up to a huge plot twist at the very end (no spoilers, though). What is the title of this mysterious thriller?

Question 18

What corporation-exposing documentary is this?

This documentary from Canada is an exploration of corporations in the modern day. It all started with University of British Columbia law professor Joel Bakan, who worked on a nonfiction book of the same name (with the added subtitle The Pathological Pursuit of Profit and Power), while they were shooting the documentary. It was not directed by Bakan – it was instead directed by two Canadian filmmakers. If you hate corporations and the corporate power structure, then this is the movie for you. Which one is it?

Question 19

What twisted satirical thriller is this?

This movie tackles the high flying world of corporate America and its seedy underbelly. It stars Christian Bale in the role of Patrick Bateman and it was based on the seminal and controversial novel of the same name by Bret Easton Ellis, which made waves in the ‘90s. It’s both a satire of the corporate Wall Street lifestyle and the phoniness of everyone in business and a dark, violent, grisly serial killer thriller. It’s quite a blend. What movie is it?

Question 20

What is this Harrison Ford bank heist action movie?

Just like some financial movies use comedy to alleviate the boredom of crunching numbers and making spreadsheets, others use action. That’s exactly what happens in this movie, which stars Harrison Ford as a man who’s dedicated twenty years of his life to protecting a bank that he is now being forced to rob in order to secure the safety of his family. Paul Bettany plays the criminal mastermind behind the scheme, who wants to steal $100 million. What movie is it?

Question 21

What is this dark limo-bound cinematic odyssey?

This movie is set almost entirely in a beautiful limousine that also doubles as the lead character’s office. That character is played by Robert Pattinson, and over the course of the day in which we follow him, we meet a bunch of different people in his life, including his wife and his mistress. The character is a billionaire who made his fortune in safe investments, but as his latest investment goes awry, his life unravels in oddball and surreal ways. What movie is it?

Question 22

What female-centric ‘80s comedy is this?

This movie is an early example of the kind of female centric comedy movie being made today that empowers women by giving them strong roles and allowing them to be more than just a wife and letting them be just as funny as the guys. The movie stars a fantastic cast of Melanie Griffith, Harrison Ford, Sigourney Weaver, and Alec Baldwin. This was directed by Mike Nichols, the brilliantly talented director behind such films as The Graduate. What movie is it?

Question 23

What is this true story starring Matthew McConaughey?

This movie stars Matthew McConaughey and it was supposed to be his next big bid for an Oscar following his glory with Dallas Buyers Club. Sadly, it wasn’t that – it failed both at the box office and with the critics. But it’s not all that bad. It is adapted from the true life story of the 1993 Bre-X mining scandal, which involved a huge deposit of gold being found in the heart of the Indonesian jungles. What movie is it?

Question 24

What George Clooney/Julia Roberts team-up is this?

This movie was directed by Jodie Foster, who most recently directed the Black Mirror episode “Arkangel” (one of the best from the new fourth season), and it tells the story of a TV set that is locked down in a hostage situation after a disgruntled investor loses all of his money by following one of the TV show’s host’s financial tips. It stars George Clooney and Julia Roberts, two of the biggest movie stars in the world. What movie is it?

Question 25

What is this Danny DeVito dramedy?

Danny DeVito has given us plenty of great movies over the years, primarily in the black comedy genre, like the Strangers on a Train homage movie Throw Momma from the Train and the marital fallout satire The War of the Roses. When he starred in this movie, which was directed by the legendary Norman Jewison and based on a Jerry Sterner play, he tackled the cutthroat world of corporate America, with big business eating up small business. What movie is it?

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