Movies About Making Money

From Brian De Palma, starring Al Pacino, Michelle Pfeiffer, Steven Bauer, Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio
Rated R

Scarface is a 1983 American crime drama film directed by Brian De Palma. The film stars Al Pacino as Tony Montana, a Cuban refugee who rises to become a powerful drug kingpin in 1980s Miami. Along with his friend Manny Ribera, Montana gains wealth and power by establishing a drug empire. However, his success leads him to make increasingly risky and dangerous decisions, ultimately resulting in his downfall. The film follows a classic rise and fall narrative, and is renowned for its strong violence, profanity, and social commentary.

From Martin Scorsese, starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Jonah Hill, Margot Robbie, Matthew McConaughey
Rated R

The Wolf of Wall Street is a 2013 black comedy biographical film directed by Martin Scorsese, based on the memoir of the same name by Jordan Belfort. The film follows the rise and fall of Belfort, a stockbroker in New York City who defrauds investors out of millions of dollars. Leonardo DiCaprio stars as Belfort, with a supporting cast that includes Jonah Hill, Matthew McConaughey, Jon Favreau, Jean Dujardin, and Margot Robbie. The film follows Belfort as he founds his brokerage firm Stratton Oakmont and leads a life of extreme opulence and excess, while defrauding investors out of millions of dollars. His increasingly reckless behavior puts him and his firm at risk, and a federal investigation into Stratton Oakmont ensues. Belfort is eventually sentenced to prison for his crimes. The film garnered praise for its direction, screenplay, production values, and the performances of its cast, particularly DiCaprio. The Wolf of Wall Street received five Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture and Best Actor for DiCaprio, and won Best Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures. The film has become a cult classic, and has become a symbol of the unbrid

From Martin Scorsese, starring Robert De Niro, Sharon Stone, Joe Pesci, James Woods
Rated R

Casino is a 1995 American epic crime drama film directed by Martin Scorsese and starring Robert De Niro, Joe Pesci, and Sharon Stone. Set in the early-1970s in Las Vegas, the film focuses on the career of casino manager Sam "Ace" Rothstein (De Niro) and his friend and mob enforcer, Nicky Santoro (Pesci). The film chronicles their rise and fall in the world of organized crime. The film follows Ace and Nicky's story as they navigate the world of organized crime in Las Vegas. Ace's success and Nicky's recklessness lead to their undoing, as they become increasingly involved with the mafia. The film follows a wide range of characters, including a number of casino employees, as they try to make their way in the high-stakes world of Las Vegas. Along the way, they are forced to compromise their personal relationships and self-interest in order to survive. The film culminates in a stunning violent climax, as Ace and Nicky come head to head with their enemies.

From Charles Ferguson, starring Matt Damon, Gylfi Zoega, Andri Snær Magnason, Sigridur Benediktsdottir
Rated PG-13

"Inside Job" is an Academy Award-winning documentary film directed by Charles Ferguson, which examines the 2008 financial crisis. Through interviews with key financial insiders, politicians, journalists, and academics, the film traces the rise of a rogue industry and unveils the corrosive relationships which have corrupted politics, regulation, and academia. The film discusses the causes of the financial crisis, the systemic corruption of the financial industry, and the disastrous global economic consequences. It also includes interviews with some of the key players in the crisis, including former US Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson, former Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan, former New York Governor Eliot Spitzer, former US Senator Christopher Dodd, and former SEC Chairman Arthur Levitt. The film concludes with an examination of the corrupt financial industry and its influence over government and academia.

From Paul Thomas Anderson, starring Daniel Day-Lewis, Paul Dano, Ciarán Hinds, Martin Stringer
Rated R

There Will Be Blood is a 2007 American epic drama film directed by Paul Thomas Anderson and written by Anderson and Upton Sinclair, based on Sinclair's novel Oil!. The film stars Daniel Day-Lewis as a silver miner-turned-oilman on a ruthless quest for wealth and power during Southern California's oil boom of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Along the way, he is pitted against a fanatical religious leader (Paul Dano) whose beliefs clash with those of the oilman. The film also features Dillon Freasier, Russell Harvard, and Kevin J. O'Connor in supporting roles. The film received critical acclaim, with Day-Lewis being nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actor and winning the 2008 Golden Globe Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama. It was also nominated for eight Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Adapted Screenplay, and won two for Best Actor and Best Cinematography. A 2008 British Academy Film Award winner for Best Cinematography, the film grossed over $76 million worldwide and was cited by critics as one of the best films of the 2000s.

From Ridley Scott, starring Denzel Washington, Russell Crowe, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Josh Brolin
Rated R

American Gangster is a 2007 crime drama film directed by Ridley Scott and written by Steven Zaillian. The film stars Denzel Washington as Frank Lucas, a real-life drug kingpin in Harlem during the 1970s, and Russell Crowe as Richie Roberts, an upstanding NYPD detective trying to bring him down. The film follows Lucas's rise to become one of the most powerful drug dealers in New York City, while Roberts attempts to bring him to justice. Lucas's hustle and ambition soon catch the attention of the Mafia, who offer him a lucrative opportunity to become the exclusive distributor of heroin in New York. Roberts, with the help of a newly recruited informant, eventually tracks Lucas down, leading to a dramatic showdown. Through Lucas and Roberts' struggle, American Gangster explores themes of loyalty, ambition, and morality, and examines the complexities of the criminal underworld. The film was well-received by critics and was a commercial success, grossing over $266 million worldwide.

From David Fincher, starring Jesse Eisenberg, Andrew Garfield, Justin Timberlake, Rooney Mara
Rated PG-13

The Social Network is a 2010 drama film directed by David Fincher and written by Aaron Sorkin. The film stars Jesse Eisenberg as Mark Zuckerberg, the founder of the social networking website Facebook. The story follows the events leading up to the founding of Facebook and the lawsuit that Zuckerberg faces from former Harvard classmates, Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss, as well as Eduardo Saverin, another former Harvard friend. The film explores the inner workings of the website and its effects on the lives of its creators and users. It also examines the complex relationships between the characters and the consequences of their actions. The Social Network is a critical and commercial success, winning three Academy Awards, including Best Adapted Screenplay. It is considered one of the most important films of the 21st century and a defining moment in social media culture.

From Adam McKay, starring Christian Bale, Steve Carell, Ryan Gosling, Brad Pitt
Rated R

The Big Short is a 2015 American comedy-drama film directed by Adam McKay. It stars an ensemble cast of actors, including Steve Carell, Ryan Gosling, Brad Pitt, Christian Bale, Melissa Leo, and Marisa Tomei. The film is based on the 2010 book The Big Short: Inside the Doomsday Machine by Michael Lewis about the financial crisis of 2007–2008, which was triggered by the bursting of the United States housing bubble. The film follows four different groups of people as they become aware of the impending financial crisis and take drastic measures to make money from it. The characters include a hedge fund manager (Bale), a banker (Gosling), a real estate investor (Carell), and a trader (Pitt). Together they build an unconventional investment vehicle to bet against the housing market before the bubble bursts. The film was well-received by critics, who praised its darkly comedic tone, its acting, and its direction. It was nominated for five Academy Awards, including Best Picture, and won Best Adapted Screenplay for McKay and Charles Randolph.

From Guy Ritchie, starring Matthew McConaughey, Charlie Hunnam, Michelle Dockery, Jeremy Strong
Rated R

The Gentlemen is a 2019 British-American crime comedy film written, directed, and produced by Guy Ritchie and starring Matthew McConaughey, Charlie Hunnam, Henry Golding, Michelle Dockery, Jeremy Strong, Eddie Marsan, Colin Farrell, and Hugh Grant. The story follows American expatriate Mickey Pearson, who has built a highly profitable marijuana empire in London. When word gets out that he is looking to cash out of the business, it soon triggers an array of plots and schemes, including bribery and blackmail, from shady characters who want to steal his domain out from under him. The film is full of fast-paced dialogue, crime, and humor as Mickey and his associates battle to keep his business intact.

From Steven Soderbergh, starring George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Julia Roberts, Matt Damon
Rated PG-13

"Ocean's Eleven" is a 2001 American heist film directed by Steven Soderbergh and starring George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Matt Damon, and Julia Roberts. The film follows Danny Ocean (Clooney) and eleven of his associates as they plan and execute an elaborate heist of the Bellagio Casino in Las Vegas. Danny assembles a diverse and talented crew consisting of con artists, pickpockets, and tech experts in order to steal money from the casino’s vault. Along the way, they must outwit casino security, dodge the police, and contend with a rival gang. In the end, they manage to pull off the heist and escape without getting caught.

From Andrew Niccol, starring Nicolas Cage, Ethan Hawke, Jared Leto, Bridget Moynahan
Rated R

Lord of War is a dark crime drama directed by Andrew Niccol and starring Nicolas Cage. The film follows the life of Ukrainian-born arms dealer Yuri Orlov (Cage) as he rises to become the most notorious arms dealer in the world. Along the way, he deals with corrupt governments, international crime syndicates, and the moral and ethical implications of his actions. As Yuri's moral conscience begins to unravel, he is confronted with the ultimate challenge of his career: to remain free or sacrifice himself for the greater good. Through Yuri's turbulent journey, the film examines the global arms trade and its devastating impact on our world.

From Ted Demme, starring Johnny Depp, Penélope Cruz, Franka Potente, Rachel Griffiths
Rated R

Blow is a 2001 American biographical crime film directed by Ted Demme, based on the life of American cocaine smuggler George Jung. The film stars Johnny Depp in the lead role, with Penélope Cruz, Franka Potente, Rachel Griffiths, Paul Reubens, and Ray Liotta in supporting roles. The film tells the story of a poor, ambitious young man growing up in the 1960s and early 1970s who goes on to become one of the biggest cocaine smugglers in the United States. By the mid-1980s, Jung had amassed a fortune worth over $60 million. However, his drug-fueled life of excess and recklessness soon catch up with him and he is eventually arrested and sentenced to prison. The film covers Jung's rise and fall from riches to rags, and explores the motivations behind his criminal lifestyle, as well as the bonds between him and his family and friends.

From Martin Scorsese, starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Cate Blanchett, Kate Beckinsale, John C. Reilly
Rated PG-13

The Aviator is a 2004 biopic directed by Martin Scorsese, starring Leonardo DiCaprio as Howard Hughes, a wealthy aviation pioneer, film producer, and eccentric businessman. The film follows Hughes' life from the late 1920s to the mid-1940s, when he was at the height of his fame and success. Throughout the film, Hughes faces personal and professional setbacks as he pursues grand projects, both in aviation and Hollywood, while also struggling with his mental health. The film culminates in a courtroom battle as Hughes faces accusations of misusing government funds while testing the world's largest airliner, the Spruce Goose. Ultimately, Hughes triumphs and proves himself to be a brilliant and driven entrepreneur.

From Stefan Ruzowitzky, starring Karl Markovics, August Diehl, Devid Striesow, Martin Brambach
Rated R

The Counterfeiters is a 2007 German-Austrian drama film based on the memoirs of Adolf Burger, a Jewish Slovak typographer who was forced by the Nazi regime to produce fake bank notes. The story follows a group of Jewish prisoners who are chosen to participate in "Operation Bernhard," an effort to undermine the British economy by flooding the market with fake currency. Led by a master counterfeiter, Salomon "Sally" Sorowitsch, the group successfully produce millions of pounds sterling and US dollars. But as the war progresses and their mission nears completion, the group begins to question the morality of their actions and the consequences of their work for their own survival.

From Neil Burger, starring Bradley Cooper, Anna Friel, Abbie Cornish, Robert De Niro
Rated PG-13

From Aaron Sorkin, starring Jessica Chastain, Idris Elba, Kevin Costner, Michael Cera
Rated R

From Oliver Stone, starring Charlie Sheen, Michael Douglas, Tamara Tunie, Franklin Cover
Rated R

From Baz Luhrmann, starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Carey Mulligan, Joel Edgerton, Tobey Maguire
Rated PG-13

From Guy Ritchie, starring Gerard Butler, Tom Wilkinson, Idris Elba, Thandiwe Newton
Rated R

From John Lee Hancock, starring Michael Keaton, Nick Offerman, John Carroll Lynch, Linda Cardellini
Rated PG-13

From Todd Phillips, starring Jonah Hill, Miles Teller, Steve Lantz, Gregg Weiner
Rated R

From Doug Liman, starring Tom Cruise, Domhnall Gleeson, Sarah Wright, Jesse Plemons
Rated R

From F. Gary Gray, starring Donald Sutherland, Mark Wahlberg, Edward Norton, Charlize Theron
Rated PG-13

From J.C. Chandor, starring Oscar Isaac, Jessica Chastain, David Oyelowo, Alessandro Nivola
Rated R

From Ben Younger, starring Giovanni Ribisi, Vin Diesel, Nia Long, Nicky Katt
Rated R