Top 10 Detective Films About Finance

Description: This classic film explores the world of corporate raiders and insider trading, with a young stockbroker caught in the middle. It's a timeless tale of ambition, greed, and the detective work needed to uncover financial misdeeds.

Fact: The phrase "Greed is good" from the film became synonymous with the excesses of the 1980s.

Description: While primarily about the tobacco industry, this film involves financial detective work as a whistleblower exposes corporate secrets, leading to a high-stakes investigation.

Fact: The film's script was based on a Vanity Fair article, and Al Pacino's character was inspired by real-life 60 Minutes producer Lowell Bergman.

Description: A young college dropout gets involved in a shady brokerage firm, leading to a story filled with financial scams and the detective work to expose them.

Fact: The film features real-life stockbrokers as extras, adding authenticity to the high-pressure sales environment depicted.

Description: While not strictly a detective film, the story of Jordan Belfort's rise and fall in the world of finance involves plenty of detective-like investigation into his fraudulent schemes by the FBI.

Fact: Leonardo DiCaprio improvised many of his scenes, including the famous "I'm not leaving!" speech, which was not in the script.

Description: This film follows Mark Whitacre, an executive who becomes an informant for the FBI, leading to a complex investigation into price-fixing at his company, blending corporate intrigue with detective work.

Fact: The film's title is a play on the fact that Whitacre was both an informant and a liar, complicating the investigation.

Description: This film dives deep into the 2008 financial crisis, following a group of investors who bet against the housing market. It's a masterclass in financial detective work, revealing the intricate web of deceit and greed.

Fact: The film uses celebrity cameos to explain complex financial terms in a humorous way. Margot Robbie, for instance, explains subprime mortgages while sipping champagne in a bubble bath.

Description: Set over a 24-hour period at a fictional investment bank, this film captures the initial stages of the financial crisis. It's a tense, thrilling look at the decisions made by those at the top when everything starts to crumble.

Fact: The film was inspired by real events at Lehman Brothers, but the characters are fictional. The director, J.C. Chandor, worked on Wall Street before making this film.

Description: Richard Gere plays a hedge fund magnate who must cover up a deadly accident while also dealing with financial fraud, creating a tense, detective-like atmosphere as he tries to keep his empire intact.

Fact: The film was shot in New York City, with Gere's character's apartment being in the same building as the real-life apartment of Bernie Madoff.

Description: Based on the true story of Nick Leeson, whose unauthorized speculative trading caused the collapse of Barings Bank, this film is a financial thriller with a detective-like investigation into his actions.

Fact: Ewan McGregor, who plays Leeson, actually met with him to prepare for the role.

Description: This Australian film tells the story of a mathematical genius who discovers a formula to predict stock market trends, leading to a financial conspiracy that requires detective skills to unravel.

Fact: The film was inspired by real-life events involving the collapse of Barings Bank.