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Top 33 Must-Watch Movies & Shows For Traders That Will Blow Your Mind 

Trading, high-stakes deals and the cutthroat world of finance have provided endless inspiration for filmmakers. From Wall Street sharks to global financial crises, these films and shows give insight into the often murky world of money. Here’s our ranking of the top 33 movies and series about trading, greed and the pursuit of wealth, with IMDb links for each.


33. Rogue Trader (1999)

Score: 6/10
IMDb link
Overview: Nick Leeson’s story of bringing down Barings Bank through reckless speculation.
Orgest’s Take: “Solid watch, but lacks emotional depth. Still, an interesting cautionary tale.”


32. Too Big to Fail (2011)

Too Big To Fail - Trading Movies

Score: 6.5/10
IMDb link
Overview: HBO’s dramatization of the 2008 financial crisis.
Orgest’s Take: “A recap of events we know. Still, it’s a well-acted take on the financial meltdown.”


31. Boiler Room (2000)

Boiler Room - Trading Movies

Score: 7/10
IMDb link
Overview: Young brokers run a shady firm in this high-energy stock market thriller.
Orgest’s Take: “Energetic but doesn’t quite have the punch of Wolf of Wall Street.”

https://youtu.be/LaCTlNk4DTg

30. The China Hustle (2017)

The China Hustle - Trading Movies

Score: 7/10
IMDb link
Overview: A documentary exposing Chinese corporate fraud on the US stock market.
Orgest’s Take: “Eye-opening, but lacks the cinematic flair of other films.”


29. Traders (2015)

Traders - Trading Movie

Score: 7.5/10
IMDb link
Overview: Dark, twisted thriller where people engage in a life-or-death trading game.
Orgest’s Take: “Unique and unsettling. A grim take on what trading can symbolize.”


28. Betting on Zero (2016)

Betting on Zero - Trading Movie

Score: 7.5/10
IMDb link
Overview: Bill Ackman’s battle against Herbalife, which he claims is a pyramid scheme.
Orgest’s Take: “A solid documentary about short-selling, but lacks the emotional tension.”


27. Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room (2005)

Enron - Trading Movies

Score: 8/10
IMDb link
Overview: The rise and catastrophic fall of Enron in a brilliant documentary.
Orgest’s Take: “A must-watch for understanding corporate greed. Enron’s hubris is terrifying.”


26. The Banker (2020)

The Banker - Trading Movies

Score: 8/10
IMDb link
Overview: True story of two African-American entrepreneurs overcoming systemic racism in the 1960s financial world.
Orgest’s Take: “Refreshing look at racial barriers in finance. Unique but a little too polished.”


25. Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps (2010)

Wall Street - Trading Movies

Score: 8/10
IMDb link
Overview: Gordon Gekko returns after his prison stint, navigating post-recession America.
Orgest’s Take: “Good, but doesn’t match the iconic nature of the original.”


24. The Ascent of Money (2008)

Score: 8.5/10
IMDb link
Overview: A detailed documentary tracing the history of money from ancient times to modern markets.
Orgest’s Take: “Not a movie, but a brilliant education on finance. Essential viewing.”

Watch the 6 episodes

23. Equity (2016)

Score: 8.5/10
IMDb link
Overview: A financial thriller that puts women in the spotlight on Wall Street.
Orgest’s Take: “A breath of fresh air with a female perspective on cutthroat finance.”


22. Inside Job (2010)

Score: 8.5/10
IMDb link
Overview: Academy Award-winning documentary explaining the causes of the 2008 financial collapse.
Orgest’s Take: “A gripping, no-nonsense look at what went wrong in 2008.”


21. American Psycho (2000)

Score: 9/10
IMDb link
Overview: The cult classic about Wall Street excesses through the eyes of a serial killer.
Orgest’s Take: “Not exactly a finance movie, but it captures the twisted mentality of the ultra-rich.”


20. Arbitrage (2012)

Score: 9/10
IMDb link
Overview: Richard Gere stars as a hedge fund manager whose life spirals out of control.
Orgest’s Take: “A tense, character-driven thriller that shows how quickly fortunes can turn.”


19. Glengarry Glen Ross (1992)

Score: 9/10
IMDb link
Overview: A look at the desperate lives of real estate salesmen. Alec Baldwin’s legendary “Always Be Closing” speech is unforgettable.
Orgest’s Take: “More about sales than trading, but a brilliant portrayal of financial desperation.”


18. The Big Short (2015)

The Big Short - Trading Movies

Score: 9.5/10
IMDb link
Overview: The housing market bubble burst, explained in hilarious and horrifying fashion.
Orgest’s Take: “One of the most insightful movies about the financial collapse. Smart, funny and tragic.”


17. Margin Call (2011)

Margin Call - Trading Movies

Score: 9.5/10
IMDb link
Overview: A brilliant, intense thriller set during the first 24 hours of the 2008 financial crisis.
Orgest’s Take: “It shows the panic and moral ambiguity that led to the crash. Tense and captivating.”


16. The Laundromat (2019)

The Laundromat - Trading Movies

Score: 7/10
IMDb link
Overview: Explores the Panama Papers scandal and the world of offshore banking and money laundering.
Orgest’s Take: “More style than substance, but an entertaining look at a global scandal.”


15. The Hummingbird Project (2018)

The Hummingbird Project - Trading Movies

Score: 7.5/10
IMDb link
Overview: Two high-frequency traders try to build a fiber-optic cable line across the US to get a millisecond trading advantage.
Orgest’s Take: “A quirky premise but brings to light the absurdity of the race for speed in trading.”


14. Quicksilver (1986)

Score: 6.5/10
IMDb link
Overview: Kevin Bacon stars as a stockbroker who quits his job and becomes a bike messenger.
Orgest’s Take: “It’s cheesy and dated, but a fun look at someone trying to escape the financial world.”


13. Trading Places (1983)

Trading Places - Trading Movies

Score: 8/10
IMDb link
Overview: A comedy about two wealthy brokers who bet on turning a beggar into a successful trader.
Orgest’s Take: “A classic. It’s hilarious and somehow its portrayal of the market still rings true today.”


12. Moneyball (2011)

Score: 9/10
IMDb link
Overview: Not a trading movie, but it explores data-driven strategies applied to baseball, which mirrors trading approaches.
Orgest’s Take: “It’s about numbers, probabilities and strategy. For any data-driven trader, it’s a gem.”


11. Wall Street (1987)

Score: 9/10
IMDb link
Overview: The iconic story of Gordon Gekko and the young, impressionable Bud Fox who gets drawn into his world of insider trading.
Orgest’s Take: “This movie practically defines the 80s financial world. Gekko’s ‘Greed is Good’ mantra became legendary.”


10. Inside Man (2006)

Score: 9/10
IMDb link
Overview: A thrilling heist film involving a complex bank robbery, executed with near-flawless precision.
Orgest’s Take: “While not strictly about trading, it shows the intricacies of financial power and hidden agendas. Brilliantly done.”


9. The Corporation (2003)

Score: 9/10
IMDb link
Overview: A documentary exploring the rise of the modern corporation and how these entities became the dominant institutions of our time.
Orgest’s Take: “It’s a terrifying look at how corporations control everything, including the financial markets. Must-watch for anyone seeking the roots of corporate greed.”

https://youtu.be/6v8e7dUwq_Q


8. The Crooked E: The Unshredded Truth About Enron (2003)

Score: 8.5/10
IMDb link
Overview: A dramatization of the Enron scandal from the inside perspective of a young accountant.
Orgest’s Take: “Not as polished as the Enron doc, but gives a fictionalized, insider’s look at the greed and deception.”


7. Capitalism: A Love Story (2009)

Score: 8.5/10
IMDb link
Overview: Michael Moore’s critical look at American capitalism, focusing on the financial crisis.
Orgest’s Take: “Provocative and eye-opening. Love or hate Moore, he knows how to get under your skin and make you think.”


6. Freakonomics (2010)

Score: 8.5/10
IMDb link
Overview: A documentary based on the popular book, exploring various topics through economic theory.
Orgest’s Take: “It brings economics to life with quirky and fascinating stories. Great for anyone who likes thinking outside the box.”


5. Gold (2016)

Score: 8.5/10
IMDb link
Overview: The rise and fall of a modern-day prospector who strikes gold in Indonesia, only to realize the game isn’t what it seems.
Orgest’s Take: “McConaughey is great and the movie is an entertaining ride about the illusions of wealth.”


4. 21 (2008)

Score: 9/10
IMDb link
Overview: A group of MIT students takes Las Vegas by storm with a brilliant card-counting scheme.
Orgest’s Take: “It’s not trading, but the strategy and thrill behind the math-driven gambling scheme are pure finance gold.”


3. The Wolf of Wall Street (2013)

Score: 9.5/10
IMDb link
Overview: The insane and over-the-top true story of Jordan Belfort, a Wall Street broker who lived fast and loose.
Orgest’s Take: “It’s wild, indulgent and hilarious. It shows the extreme excess of Wall Street in a way that no other film does.”


2. Pi (1998)

Score: 10/10
IMDb link
Overview: A brilliant mathematician becomes obsessed with finding a pattern that could unlock the secrets of the stock market — and the universe itself.
Orgest’s Take: “This one’s personal. Pi combines math, madness and market mystery into a mind-bending experience. My favorite.”


1. Billions (2016–)

Score: 10/10
IMDb link
Overview: The ultimate TV show about power struggles in the world of hedge funds, with brilliant characters, high-stakes games and intense rivalry.
Orgest’s Take: “Nothing compares to Billions. It’s a brutal, witty and endlessly entertaining look at the highest levels of the financial world. Axe is king.”

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