As an entrepreneur, you know that success requires hard work, determination, and a bit of luck. But it can also be helpful to draw inspiration from the stories of others who have achieved great things. That’s why we’ve compiled a list of top movies for entrepreneurs.
Whether you’re looking for motivation or just want to enjoy a good movie, these films are sure to satisfy you. So grab some popcorn and get ready to be inspired!
Top movies every entrepreneur must watch
From the rise of Facebook in “The Social Network” to the innovative strategy of the Oakland A’s in “Moneyball,” these films showcase the highs and lows of building a business.
Other notable titles in this list of must-watch movies for entrepreneurs are “Pirates of Silicon Valley,” “Wall Street,” “The Big Short,” “Steve Jobs,” “Pursuit of Happiness,” and “Becoming Warren Buffet.”
1. The Social Network
“The Social Network” is a 2010 film directed by David Fincher and starring Jesse Eisenberg as Mark Zuckerberg, the co-founder of Facebook. The movie explores the legal battles and personal rivalries that arose as the popular social media platform took shape. The best scene of the movie is when Zuckerberg (Eisenberg) launches Facebook at Harvard University and the site immediately becomes a hit. The takeaway for aspiring entrepreneurs is to always be open to new ideas and be willing to take risks to make them a reality. With an IMDB rating of 7.7/10, “The Social Network” also features a talented cast including Andrew Garfield, Justin Timberlake, and Armie Hammer. The film received positive reviews upon its release and remains a popular choice among those interested in the tech industry.
2. The Pursuit of Happyness
“The Pursuit of Happyness” is a 2006 American biographical drama film directed by Gabriele Muccino. Will Smith stars as Chris Gardner, a struggling single father who becomes homeless with his young son (played by Smith’s real-life son Jaden Smith). The movie is based on the true story of Chris Gardner, a homeless salesman who eventually became a successful stockbroker.
The movie follows Chris as he fights to make a better life for himself and his son, despite facing numerous obstacles such as poverty and homelessness. He starts off as a salesman of bone-density scanners, but ends up getting an unpaid internship at a stock brokerage firm. Chris and his son’s struggles are portrayed poignantly in the movie, and the performances by both Will Smith and Jaden Smith are highly praised.
The movie is rated 8.0/10 on IMDB and has been praised by critics for its heartwarming story, strong performances, and emotional depth. The movie grossed $307.1 million against its budget of $55 million.
One of the most memorable scenes in the movie is when Chris and his son are sleeping in a subway station and Chris is woken up by the janitor and is told to leave. Chris pleads with the janitor and asks him to let him and his son stay there for the night. This scene shows the desperation and struggle of a homeless father and his child trying to survive on the streets.
The director, Gabriele Muccino is an Italian film-director who directed many successful films before this, like “Remember Me, My Love” and “The Last Kiss”, and after this he went on to direct “Seven Pounds” and “The Space Between”.
The main take away for entrepreneurs from this movie is that perseverance and determination can help anyone to overcome even the most difficult obstacles, despite being homeless and having nothing, Chris Gardner never gave up on his dreams and eventually achieved success through hard work and determination.
3. The Big Short
“The Big Short” is a 2015 American biographical comedy-drama film directed by Adam McKay. The movie tells the story of a group of investors who saw the housing market crash of 2008 coming, and decided to bet against it, making a lot of money in the process. The lead characters are played by Christian Bale, Steve Carell, Ryan Gosling and Brad Pitt.
The film is based on the true story of a group of investors who saw the flaws in the US housing market and realized that the market was about to crash. They decided to bet against it by investing in the market’s failure, making a lot of money in the process. But with the success also comes the moral dilemma of profiting from others’ misfortune.
The movie is rated 7.8/10 on IMDB and has been praised by critics for its clever storytelling, dark comedy and talented performances. It grossed $133.3 million against its budget of $28 million.
One of the most amazing scenes in the movie is when Ryan Gosling’s character, Jared Vennett, explains the complex financial instruments, like the collateralized debt obligation (CDOs), in layman terms using a Jenga game and margarita glass to audience so they can understand it.
The director Adam McKay is an American comedian, actor, writer and filmmaker, He has also directed movies like “Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy” and “Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby”
The main takeaway for entrepreneurs is that it’s important to be able to identify market trends and have the courage to act on them, even if it goes against the conventional wisdom. Additionally, it also highlights the need to think critically and question the status quo when something seems too good to be true.
4. Boiler Room
“Boiler Room” is a 2000 American drama film directed by Ben Younger. The movie follows the story of a college dropout, played by Giovanni Ribisi, who gets a job at a stock brokerage firm that operates as a boiler room, meaning it engages in high-pressure sales tactics to sell worthless stocks to unsuspecting customers.
The movie shows the illegal activities and unethical practices happening in the company, and the pressure the employees face to succeed at any cost. The movie raises moral questions about greed and power, as the main character faces a dilemma of whether to stay and earn more money or to quit and do the right thing.
The movie is rated 7.2/10 on IMDB and has been praised by critics for its portrayal of the high-pressure world of stockbrokerage and its solid performances. The movie grossed $28.1 million against its budget of $6 million.
One of the most remembered scene of the movie is when the main character Seth Davis (Ribisi) gives a motivational speech to new hires at the company, where he talks about the money, power and glory that comes with the job and trying to convince them to stay and make it their new reality.
The director Ben Younger is an American screenwriter and director. He did not directed many movies, but “Boiler Room” is his second film and his first feature film.
5. Glengarry Glen Ross
“Glengarry Glen Ross” is a 1992 American drama film directed by James Foley, based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning play of the same name by David Mamet. The movie features an ensemble cast including Al Pacino, Jack Lemmon, Alec Baldwin and Kevin Spacey, among others. The story takes place in a real-estate office, where a group of cutthroat salesmen compete against each other to sell undesirable properties and face the pressure of keeping their jobs.
The movie is a portrayal of the cut-throat world of sales and the pressure to succeed at all costs. It follows the characters as they struggle to sell properties and make their quotas, while also dealing with unethical tactics, deceit and back-stabbing. The movie is heavily dialogue-driven, and its performances have been widely acclaimed by the critics.
The movie is rated 8.2/10 on IMDB and has been praised by critics for its performances, writing and portrayal of the high-pressure world of sales. The box office collection is not much relevant as it was a limited release movie and not a blockbuster type.
One of the most memorable scenes of the movie is the “coffee is for closers” speech delivered by Alec Baldwin’s character, Blake, where he berates the salesmen for their lack of sales and encourages them to close deals and make sales.
The director James Foley is an American film director, who directed movies like “After Dark, My Sweet” and “At Close Range” prior and later directed movies like “The Corruptor” and “Perfect Stranger”
The main takeaway for entrepreneurs is that success comes at a cost, and the pressure to succeed can lead to unethical behavior. It also shows how cut-throat the sales world can be and the importance of staying true to one’s values even when the pressure is on.
6. The Wolf Of Wall Street
“The Wolf of Wall Street” is a 2013 American black comedy crime film directed by Martin Scorsese. The movie is based on the true story of Jordan Belfort, played by Leonardo DiCaprio, who rose to become a wealthy stockbroker, living the high life, but ultimately was brought down by his own illegal actions. The movie follows his rise and fall and shows the excesses of his lifestyle and the illegal activities he and his associates engaged in.
The movie is an intense portrayal of the greed and excesses of the Wall Street world in the 1990s, with themes of ambition, power, and corruption. The film is famous for its over-the-top and outrageous depiction of Belfort’s lifestyle. The performances, particularly by Leonardo DiCaprio and Jonah Hill, have been widely acclaimed.
The movie is rated 8.2/10 on IMDB and has been praised by critics for its direction, acting, and screenplay. The movie grossed $392.9 million against its budget of $100 million.
One of the most memorable scene of the movie is the “Quaalude” scene where Leonard DiCaprio’s character, Jordan Belfort, attempts to walk up the stairs while under the influence of Quaaludes, a sedative drug, and falls several times, which is widely considered as one of the funniest and iconic scenes in the movie.
The director Martin Scorsese is an American filmmaker and historian, he directed numerous successful and critically acclaimed films, such as “Goodfellas”, “Raging Bull”, “The Departed” and “Taxi Driver”
The main takeaway for entrepreneurs from this movie is that short-term gains and illegal activities can lead to long-term loss. Additionally, the movie also highlights the consequences of living in excess and losing sight of what truly matters.
7. Moneyball
“Moneyball” is a 2011 American sports drama film directed by Bennett Miller. The movie is based on the true story of Billy Beane, played by Brad Pitt, the general manager of the Oakland Athletics baseball team, who used sabermetrics, an analytics-based approach, to build a competitive team despite having one of the lowest payrolls in the league.
The movie follows Billy Beane as he uses innovative thinking and statistics-based analysis to put together a winning team, despite having limited resources. The film is also a commentary on the importance of taking risks, questioning the status quo and looking at things differently. Brad Pitt’s portrayal of Billy Beane and Jonah Hill’s portrayal of Peter Brand, the assistant GM and Beane’s right-hand man, have been widely praised.
The movie is rated 7.6/10 on IMDB and has been praised by critics for its performances, storytelling, and its ability to make a film about baseball statistics engaging. The movie grossed $110.2 million against its budget of $50 million.
One of the most memorable scenes in the movie is when Billy Beane, played by Brad Pitt, delivers a powerful speech to his team, in which he lays out the team’s new strategy and encourages them to have faith in their new approach, despite being doubted by the rest of the league.
The director Bennett Miller is an American film director, who directed movies like “Capote” and “Foxcatcher” prior and later.
8. Steve Jobs
“Steve Jobs” is a 2015 American biographical drama film directed by Danny Boyle. The movie tells the story of the life of Steve Jobs, co-founder of Apple, and is based on Walter Isaacson’s 2011 biography of the same name. The movie mainly focuses on the backstage drama that led up to the launch of three key products: the Macintosh, NeXT, and the iMac. The lead character is played by Michael Fassbender.
The movie follows Steve Jobs as he navigates his career, relationships, and personal demons, and takes a look at the man behind the iconic brand, showing both his strengths and flaws. The film received critical acclaim for its performances and screenplay, particularly that of Michael Fassbender’s portrayal of Steve Jobs.
The movie is rated 7.2/10 on IMDB and received positive reviews from critics for its performances, direction, and screenplay. The movie grossed $48.7 million against its budget of $30 million.
One of the most memorable scenes from the movie is when Steve Jobs and his team work frantically to fix a problem with the Macintosh computer, just before the product launch. The scene is an intense and dramatic portrayal of the pressure and high-stakes of product launches.
The director Danny Boyle is a British film director who directed movies like “Trainspotting”, “Slumdog Millionaire” and “127 Hours” and he has been recognized for his works and is a recipient of multiple awards.
9. Pirates of Silicon Valley
“Pirates of Silicon Valley” is a 1999 American made-for-television biographical drama film directed by Martyn Burke. The movie tells the story of the rise of the personal computer through the rivalry of Steve Jobs and Bill Gates, the founders of Apple and Microsoft, respectively. The lead characters are played by Noah Wyle as Jobs and Anthony Michael Hall as Gates.
The movie traces the history of the personal computer revolution, starting with the creation of the first personal computer, the Apple 1, by Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak, through the launch of the Macintosh, and ending with the launch of Windows 95. It covers the rise of both Apple and Microsoft, and highlights the competition and innovations in the industry. The film received positive reviews from critics for its performances, storytelling and its depiction of the tech industry.
The movie is rated 7.2/10 on IMDB and Box office collection is not known as it was primarily released as a TV film.
One of the most memorable scenes of the movie is when Steve Jobs, played by Noah Wyle, unveils the Macintosh computer to the public and the crowd’s reaction to its revolutionary graphical user interface and how it changes the way we interact with computers.
The director Martyn Burke is a Canadian filmmaker, who directed several movies such as “The National Parks Project”, “The Lightning Field”, and “War Party” The main takeaway for entrepreneurs is the impact of the rivalry between Jobs and Gates on the development of personal computers, and the importance of innovation and a willingness to take risks in the tech industry. Additionally, it also highlights the vital role that competition plays in driving progress and the benefits it brings to consumers and industries.
10. Becoming Warren Buffet
“Becoming Warren Buffett” is a 2017 American documentary film directed by Peter Kunhardt. The movie is based on the life of Warren Buffett, one of the most successful investors in history. The film covers his rise from a young boy interested in making money, to the multi-billionaire he is today, through interviews, footage and personal photos.
The film explores the personal and professional life of Warren Buffett, from his early years to his rise as one of the most successful investors in history. The film uses a mix of interviews, archival footage, and photographs to tell the story of his life and the principles that have made him so successful. It provides a glimpse into his personal and business life and how his approach to investing and management has helped him to become one of the wealthiest and successful people in the world.
The movie is rated 7.6/10 on IMDB, and has been praised by critics for its personal and intimate look into the life of Warren Buffett and the insights it provides into his investing philosophy and business strategies. Box office collection is not known as it was primarily released on TV networks.
One of the most amazing scene from the movie is where the viewers gets to see the annual meeting of Berkshire Hathaway, where thousands of shareholders gather to hear Mr. Buffett and his Vice Chairman, Charlie Munger, speak. It provides an insight into the kind of leader and public figure Warren Buffett is, and how he handles and interacts with thousands of people.
The director Peter Kunhardt is an American film producer and director, he directed few movies and series such as “Dying to Tell the Story”, “King of Pigs” and “Heir to an Execution”. The main takeaway for entrepreneurs from the movie is the long-term approach and consistency in decision-making that have helped Warren Buffett.
11. Wall Street
“Wall Street” is a 1987 American drama film directed by Oliver Stone. The movie tells the story of a young and ambitious stockbroker, Bud Fox, played by Charlie Sheen, who becomes involved with a ruthless and corrupt corporate raider, Gordon Gekko, played by Michael Douglas, who becomes his mentor. The movie is a commentary on the greed and excess of the Wall Street world in the 1980s.
The film follows Bud Fox’s rise to the top of the corporate ladder, as he becomes more and more involved with Gordon Gekko, a man who will stop at nothing to get what he wants. The film explores the seductive power of money and the corrupting influence it can have on people, through Fox’s transformation from an innocent young man to a ruthless player himself.
The movie is rated 7.4/10 on IMDB and has been praised by critics for its performances, direction, and commentary on the greed and excess of Wall Street in the 1980s. The movie grossed $43.8 million against its budget of $17 million.
One of the most memorable scene of the movie is when Gordon Gekko, played by Michael Douglas, delivers a powerful speech at a shareholders’ meeting, in which he declares “greed, for lack of a better word, is good”, which became one of the most iconic quotes in the movie.
The director Oliver Stone is an American film director, producer and screenwriter, and has directed movies such as “Platoon”, “JFK” and “Natural Born Killers”.
Conclusion: 25 is not the end of number system
Complete list of 25 movies for entrepreneurs:
- The Pursuit of Happyness
- The Social Network
- The Shark Tank
- Moneyball
- The Startup Kids
- Inside Job
- The Big Short
- The Founder
- The Wolf of Wall Street
- The Secret of my Success
- Glengarry Glen Ross
- The Secret Life of Walter Mitty
- The Aviator
- Steve Jobs
- Good Will Hunting
- The Shawshank Redemption
- Dead Poets Society
- The Hundred-Foot Journey
- Up in the Air
- The Accountant
- Limitless
- The Intern
- Wall Street
- Boiler Room
- The Imitation Game
As an entrepreneur, you’re always on the lookout for ways to boost your motivation and stay inspired. These 25 movies are a great way to do just that! Whether you’re looking for tips on leadership, negotiation, or creativity, these films offer valuable insights that can help you take your business to the next level. So the next time you’re in need of a dose of inspiration, grab some popcorn and settle in for a movie marathon. These films are sure to give you the boost you need to succeed in the world of business.
