The 8 Best Financial Thrillers to Watch Right Now
Anything can happen when money and desperation intertwine.
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Money can make people do crazy things. Once, I was so broke that I sold a pair of beat-up sneakers for grocery funds. It didn’t go so well—the consignment store gave me only twelve dollars. But I was able to make it work. (Thank God for rice and ramen.) Though, luckily, my financial situation has improved, I still love a good hustle.
Apparently, so does Hollywood. Over the years, the film industry has cranked out a ton of financial thrillers that are far more exciting than my sneaker tale. Hell, anything can happen when money and desperation intertwine. Below, you’ll find eight captivating movies about characters who’ve been pushed to the limit (along with their bank accounts). There’s the sexy Wall Street thriller Fair Play, starring Alden Ehrenreich and Phoebe Dynevor; Adam Sandler’s cautionary tale Uncut Gems; the criminally underrated Limitless; and everything in between.
Fair Play
Don’t let Phoebe Dynevor and Alden Ehrenreich’s chemistry fool you. Fair Play is not a rom-com. The film follows a young couple working at the same hedge fund. When one of them receives an unexpected promotion, it pushes their relationship into the deep end.
The Wolf of Wall Street
Leonardo DiCaprio stars as Jordan Belfort, a skilled investment banker who founds his own company in his twenties and makes a fortune. But his glamorous life comes crashing down when the FBI investigates his financial empire.
Uncut Gems
In Uncut Gems, Adam Sandler plays Howard, a zany jeweler with a gambling problem and a deep love of the Boston Celtics. One day, he’s presented with the opportunity to change his life, but it requires an extremely risky bet. The high stakes could grant him financial freedom—or lead to his downfall.
Breaking
This heartbreaking thriller is based on the true story of Brian Brown-Easley—a Marine veteran who robs a bank. Though Brian is unarmed, he threatens to blow up the building, resulting in a high-stakes hostage situation. Tensions rise over the course of an afternoon as the police try to coax him out of his dangerous spiral.
Man on Fire
Denzel Washington’s Creasy is a bodyguard tasked with looking after a nine-year-old girl named Lupita (Dakota Fanning). When Lupita is kidnapped and held for ransom, he embarks on a wild manhunt to find her abductors and figure out why she was kidnapped in the first place. Lupita comes from an incredibly powerful family, so the mysterious criminals must be in desperate need of cash.
The Game
The Game is directed by David Fincher and stars Michael Douglas as Nicholas Van Orton, a quiet banker who makes a steady living. On his birthday, his estranged brother stops by with a personalized game. The gift seems harmless, but it’s tailored to uproot the player’s life. When things spin out of control, Nicholas fears that his life and financial well-being are in danger.
Money Monster
Lee, a Wall Street guru (George Clooney) who hosts a stock-market show called—you guessed it!—Money Monster, is kidnapped during a live taping. His captor, Kyle, lost his life savings after following Lee’s financial advice. Now he wants revenge. In order to survive and get everyone else home safely, Lee has to work with his producers to defuse the situation.
Limitless
Eddie Morra (Bradley Cooper) is having a tough time. His job sucks. His apartment’s a mess. And his girlfriend wants to leave him. Then an old friend gives him a new pill that unlocks his brain. With full mental access, Eddie becomes a finance tycoon, but the drug’s side effects threaten to ruin everything.
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