25 Must-Watch Business Movies About The Highs And Lows Of Entrepreneurship
25. The Aviator (2004)
Howard Hughes didn’t just build empires, the man legit unraveled in them. Martin Scorsese's haunting biopic shows us the unbearable brilliance of a mind that couldn’t slow down. Behind the glitter of aviation and Hollywood was a pioneer waging war with his own demons. It's a stark reminder: success can make you soar, but it can also make you spiral.
24. Air (2023)
One shot, one rookie, and one billion-dollar brand. This movie goes beyond high-end shoes, its focus is on the vision. ‘Air’ dramatizes Nike’s big-stakes bet on a young Michael Jordan before the world knew his name. It’s a corporate thriller disguised as a sports story, reminding us that greatness often starts with a gamble.
23. Glengarry Glen Ross (1992)
“Coffee's for closers.” Few lines cut sharper. In a sales office dripping with desperation, loyalty dies, and egos clash like gladiators. ‘Glengarry Glen Ross’ thrusts us into the cutthroat world of real estate, where only the ruthless survive on the battlefield. Watch it for the performances, but stay for the pain.
22. BlackBerry (2023)
They had the world in their hands…quite literally. ‘BlackBerry’ is a cautionary tale for every startup founder drunk on early success. Here, we get to witness the meteoric rise and catastrophic fall of a tech empire. Innovation is fast. But obsolescence? Faster.
21. The New Hustle (2017)
This documentary dives into three startups out of one continent and their infinite hustle. From Canva’s design dreams to Vinomofo’s wine wars, it slices into the heart of Australia’s startup scene. It’s less Silicon Valley, more raw resilience. The struggle is real, and global.
20. The Intern (2015)
This is where experience meets innovation, and magic happens. Robert De Niro’s quiet dignity as a senior intern colliding with Anne Hathaway’s millennial CEO is oddly moving, and surprisingly profound that can impact every generation. The movie is a love letter to mentorship, reinvention, and second acts.
19. Margin Call (2011)
24 hours before the world burns! This isn’t fiction, it’s prophecy. Set on the eve of the 2008 collapse, this financial thriller captures the cold horror of realizing the system is built on sand. If your business instincts don’t sharpen watching this, nothing will.
18. Thank You for Smoking (2005)
Spin is an art, and Nick Naylor is Picasso. This satirical masterpiece exposes the moral gymnastics behind PR and lobbying. If you’ve ever had to sell something ethically murky, or convince yourself that ethics are flexible, this one hits home. ‘Thank You for Smoking’ will leave you with a smirk.
17. Tetris (2023)
It wasn’t just a game, it was a geopolitical chess match. Who knew falling blocks could carry so much weight? Taron Egerton brings the fever dream of '80s capitalism to life in ‘Tetris.’ Espionage, licensing battles, and Soviet intrigue—all in pursuit of a pixelated gold mine.
16. Boiler Room (2000)
You want to be a millionaire? Lie harder. This isn’t Wall Street, it’s the reckless, younger cousin who is hungrier, faster, and morally bankrupt. ‘Boiler Room’ is a masterclass in sales manipulation and the cost of fast money. Spoiler: it never ends well.
15. The Pursuit of Happyness (2006)
One of the most loved movies, ‘The Pursuit of Happyness’ shows how your rock bottom can become your foundation. Chris Gardner’s journey from homeless to hero is a gut-wrenching reminder that dreams demand everything. More than a business film, it's a testament to what unbreakable will looks like.
14. Moneyball (2011)
Numbers don’t lie. People do. Billy Beane rewrote the rules of baseball with data, upsetting traditions and reshaping industries. Brad Pitt’s ‘Moneyball’ is about building something great when the world tells you it’s impossible.
13. The Big Short (2015)
They saw the crash before it came, and bet on it. This Oscar-winning drama is sharp, sarcastic, and devastating. With real-life consequences and a blistering pace, ‘The Big Short’ turns complex finance into a thrilling morality play.
12. Joy (2015)
When the world says “No,” build your own damn mop. Joy Mangano’s journey through betrayal, chaos, and family sabotage is an anthem for every scrappy entrepreneur. Her invention changed lives, but first, it almost ruined hers.
11. Steve Jobs (2015)
Behind every polished keynote is a storm of chaos. Aaron Sorkin’s rapid-fire script unravels the myth, showing us a man torn between genius and cruelty. Steve Jobs wasn’t nice. But damn, was he effective.
10. The Corporation (2003)
What if a company had a personality disorder? This documentary goes beyond business; it interrogates it. What happens when corporations have more rights than people and less empathy than sharks? A must-watch for anyone who wants to build, and not be devoured.
9. Ford v Ferrari (2019)
Two men. One race. Zero compromise. ‘Ford v Ferrari’ not just about fast cars, it’s about legacy. Corporate boardrooms and racetracks collide in this visually stunning tale of obsession, loyalty, and the need to outrun doubt.
8. The Founder (2016)
This is where ambition devours loyalty. News flash: Ray Kroc didn’t invent McDonald’s, he stole it. This chilling origin story is a masterclass in manipulation, vision, and the dark side of American entrepreneurship. Business ethics become totally optional.
7. Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room (2005)
Here’s a lesson: when you fly too close to the sun, you incinerate. What begins as genius ends in prison. Enron’s rise and fiery collapse is a Greek tragedy set in the American boardroom. It’s a warning shot for every startup faking it till they make it.
6. Startup.com (2001)
It’s best friends having the worst fallout! A real-life chronicle of the dot-com bubble bursting, this documentary is painfully personal. It shows that the biggest threat to a startup isn’t the market; it all boils down to ego.
5. Wall Street (1987)
Greed isn’t just good, it’s gospel. Michael Douglas’s Gordon Gekko became the face of 1980s capitalism. Cold, calculating, and magnetic, ‘Wall Street’ is a moral battleground that still defines our times.
4. Pirates of Silicon Valley (1999)
Before the iPhone, before the IPOs, there were pirates—Steve Jobs and Bill Gates. Their names echo in history, but this film captures them raw…absolutely ruthless, brilliant, and barely out of college. It’s the original tech showdown and a path to global domination.
3. Becoming Warren Buffett (2017)
Want a peek into the quiet mind behind the loudest portfolio? Humble, brilliant, and terrifyingly rational—Warren Buffett is a walking contradiction. This documentary gives us an intimate look behind the curtain of a man who reads 500 pages a day, and makes billion-dollar decisions before lunch.
2. The Wolf of Wall Street (2013)
Excess, ecstasy, and epic collapse. Jordan Belfort, dripping with Leonardo DiCaprio’s magnetic charm, lived every wannabe entrepreneur’s fantasy and every regulator’s nightmare. A rollercoaster of greed, charisma, and chaos, ‘The Wolf of Wall Street’ is a blast of adrenaline. And a sobering hangover.
1. The Social Network (2010)
You don’t get to hundreds of millions of friends without making a few enemies. ‘The Social Network’ is nothing short of a modern myth. Mark Zuckerberg’s rise is Shakespearean: betrayal, obsession, genius, and loneliness. It asks a brutal question every founder must answer: What will you give up to be remembered?
