Best Business Movies of the Decade

by Kevin Gardner

The past decade has been an excellent one for movie lovers. Many films have been released that are sure to become classics that will be watched over and over for years to come. There have been movies in all genres that people have loved, from science fiction to superheroes. One category that has seen a number of great movies is business movies.

In addition to being fun to watch, these movies can be instructive for business owners and students. Viewers can learn things to do (and not to do) and can come away with ideas to improve their businesses, like marketing strategy small business ideas. Read on for a few of our favorite business movies from the past decade.

Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps

If you asked somebody to name a business movie, they would probably answer "Wall Street". A modern classic from the 1980s, it got the sequel treatment in 2010. This time around, the story follows Gordon Gecko and his daughter's fiance, a young Wall Street Trader. Will Gordon be able to stay on the straight and narrow this time, or will he encourage his protege to follow his unsavory moves. A great film for those interested in how Wall Street can corrupt.

The Wolf of Wall Street

When it comes to examples of what not to do in business, you can't go wrong with 2013's The Wolf of Wall Street. Directed by Martin Scorcese and starring Leonardo DiCaprio, this movie is inspired by the true story of Jordan Belfort, a stock trader convicted in 2014 of manipulating the stock market. Highlighting the wild west atmosphere of the stock market in the 1980s and 1990s, this movie is an excellent lesson of the things to avoid if you go into stock trading.

The Founder

One of the greatest business successes of the 20th century was the rise of the McDonald's empire. The Founder tells the story of Ray Kroc, the founder of the McDonald's fast-food chain, and the fascinating story of how he grew the brand from a single hamburger restaurant to a worldwide phenomenon.

Business owners looking to grow their businesses can get a lot of inspiration from Kroc's story. While not everything he did was completely ethical, the McDonald's model was copied by businesses around the world.

The Social Network

It's hard to imagine what our lives would be if Mark Zuckerberg didn't create Facebook. The first social network, it spurred a new type of tech revolution and changed the way we communicate and share information.

The Social Network recounts the creation of Facebook, originally exclusively for students at Harvard University, and how Zuckerberg expanded it into the giant company it is today. One of the most interesting aspects of the film is Zuckerberg's relationships with the people who helped put the network together. For business owners interested in interpersonal relations, The Social Network is a must-watch.

The Big Short

2015's The Big Short returns to Wall Street. This time, viewers are in 2008, just as investors are realizing the havoc that subprime mortgages were about to play on the housing market and the wider American economy. The movie, based on a book by Michael Lewis, focuses on several financial professionals who end up predicting and profiting from the housing collapse.

The collapse of the housing market had consequences for the worldwide economy and millions of people across the country lost their homes, jobs, and savings as a result. Business students and economists should read this book and see the film to learn what went wrong and what needs to be done to prevent a similar crisis from happening again.

Movies are a Great Way To Learn

As we've seen, many business movies are based on real-life people and scenarios. This makes them an excellent way to pick up ideas to improve your own business. Perhaps you are looking for ways to enter the business world. Getting inspiration from people who've found success and seeing the things you should avoid can lead you to great things.