5 Things I’ve Learned From Finance Movies

To say that I’m a movie fan would be an understatement, ever since a young age I’ve had a fascination with movies and I thought it was time I reflected on what they’ve taught me. My passion for personal finance only really came to life over the last couple of years, but some of my favourite movies revolve around personal finance, and here they are:

Wall Street (1987)

The film: One of the most famous finance films every made, Wall Street graced our screens in 1987, and its lead actor Michael Douglas is infamous as the sinister Gordon Gekko. The film follows the life of a college dropout who has been taken under the wing of a ruthless stockbroker. In my opinion the script and acting are simply phenomenal and the line “greed is good” will go down in movie history.

What it taught me: Wall Street is one of those films where I routed for the bad guy and the films message is really a question of morals. The young college student has to question his principles after he’s told “What’s worth doing is worth doing for money”, will you question your morals after watching Wall Street?

Brewster’s Millions (1986)

The film: Could you spend $30m in 30 days in order to inherit $300m? Well that’s what Brewster has to do, and there’s one catch, you’re not allowed to have any assets at the end of the 30 day period, whether that’s in the form of fixed rate bond savings or in the form of a house, you’re allowed no assets what so ever… it’s harder than it sounds! Brewster’s millions is a fantastic family film starring the late Richard Pryor, who as always is insanely funny.

What it taught me: As well as being a great fun family film, Brewster’s Millions also has a great financial message behind it. The film basically details how not to spend your money, and how easy it can be to waste. I think you can really relate this message to any amount of money, whether it is $30 or $30m, and it’s a film that will be watched for years to come.

Glengarry Glen Ross (1992)

The film: Glengarry Glen Ross is a film that I first watched while at college and my first reaction was, wow! Some of the greatest actors of the nineties including, Al Pacino, Ed Harris and Jack Lemmon deliver powerhouse performances to really bring the film to life. The film revolves around a group of real estate brokers who find out there’s a change to the months sales contest, 1st place gets a Cadillac, 2nd place gets a set of stake knifes, 3rd place is ‘you’re fired’.

What it taught me: The message behind Glengarry Glen Ross is brilliant and it’s plain to see, that pressure to succeed financially, no matter the environment can cause even the best to crumble if they make the wrong decisions. The film outlines that you should think carefully before making any big financial decisions that could affect you in the long run.

American Psycho (2000)

The film: A brilliant black comedy/thriller, American Psycho is based around an accounting executive who hides his alternate psychopathic ego from his co-workers and friends. It is a fantastic film, but to understand the message behind it you really do need to watch the film closely as it does get confusing. ** SPOILER WARNING ** To explain the message behind the film I really need to divulge the end, basically at the end of Patrick Batemans killing spree, he confesses to his lawyer and friends, but everyone just believes he’s lying, why? Well that’s what the film taught me.

What it taught me: American Psycho has many themes running throughout the movie, but its main theme is materialism. Based around the rich and powerful many of the executives dress and act exactly the same way. Everyone looks like everyone else, has similar jobs, everyone dresses the same, listens to the same music, goes to the same clubs and hairstylists, etc. They literally cannot tell one another apart and this is mainly down to the stress and pressure behind competing to big top dog, and because every single one of them operates with this belief, mistaken identity occurs on a daily basis, hence why Batemans employees believe him to be lying. I hope I’ve made the message clear but you really need to watch the movie fully understand the message behind it.

Weekend at Bernie’s (1989)

The film: Weekend at Bernie’s is one of my favourite films from the 80’s, I remember watching and re-watching my VHS of the film when I was young. It’s based around two guys who carry around the dead body of their boss for a weekend, whilst trying to convince everyone he’s still alive, it make for fantastic viewing. The two are employees of an insurance company, while the dead body is that of the owner Bernie, and by dressing up the body to make him look alive, they get involved in a series of crazy little adventures.

What it taught me: The film is basically about how someone can be consumed by a quest for money, as did Bernie (owner of the company) and his employees. It teaches us that greed can take over to an extent that it just comes naturally to you, and money isn’t the most important thing that matters.

This guest post was written by movie fanatic and writer Andreas Nicolaides.