Which movies about entrepreneurs and entrepreneurship are your favorites?
Movies are a great source of motivation for entrepreneurs. They can teach us lessons about failure, resilience, and success. They can inspire us and give us the courage to take risks and pursue our dreams. Movies for entrepreneurs can help them understand the challenges they will face in their journey and the rewards that come with them.
There are many movies out there that are perfect for entrepreneurs. Whether you’re looking to gain insight into the entrepreneurial mindset or want an entertaining movie night, these movies will help you get inspired and motivated to pursue your goals.
From biographies, autobiographies, memoirs, and real-life historical accounts to melodramas, and philosophical dramas, movies are not merely unadulterated entertainment. Watching the ordeals and victories of others onscreen (particularly that of real-life entrepreneurs) may enable us to stimulate our imagination, nurture our vision or spur a spark of motivation. These movies' plots are about lofty standards, warnings against greed, and even values we need for authentic and continuing success.
We have compiled a list of movies about entrepreneurs for entrepreneurs with some descriptions and plot summaries from imdb.com and movie posters from movieposters.com.
Any Given Sunday (1999)
Any Given Sunday is a 1999 American sports drama film directed by Oliver Stone and starring Al Pacino, Jamie Foxx, and Cameron Diaz. The film is about a fictional professional American football team, the Miami Sharks, and its players and coaches, who are struggling to deal with the pressures of fame and the brutal nature of the sport. The team's aging veteran quarterback is injured, forcing the coach to start a younger, less experienced player. As the team fights to make it to the playoffs, the coach, the team owner, and the players must confront personal and professional issues on and off the field. The film explores themes of power, ambition, and the price of success.
Boiler Room (2000)
The Boiler Room is a 2000 American drama film directed by Ben Younger and starring Giovanni Ribisi, Vin Diesel, Nia Long, and Ben Affleck. The movie is about a college dropout named Seth Davis who starts working at a small, illegal brokerage firm, J.T. Marlin. Seth quickly rises through the ranks and becomes one of the firm's top brokers. However, as he becomes more successful, he begins to question the integrity of the firm and the people he works with. He discovers that J.T. Marlin is a "boiler room" firm, which means it uses high-pressure sales tactics to sell worthless or overpriced stocks to unsuspecting investors. The film explores the themes of greed, ambition, and the moral ambiguity of the stock market and the financial industry. It also examines Seth's ethical dilemma as he tries to reconcile his desire for success and wealth with his growing sense of conscience and guilt.
Catch Me If You Can (2002)
Catch Me If You Can is a 2002 film directed by Steven Spielberg and starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Tom Hanks. The film is based on the true story of Frank Abagnale Jr., a young man who poses as a pilot, a lawyer, and a doctor in the 1960s to defraud millions of dollars from various institutions. He is eventually pursued by an FBI agent, Carl Hanratty, played by Hanks, who is determined to bring him to justice. The film follows Abagnale's escapades and his eventual capture and rehabilitation.
Chef (2014)
"Chef" is a 2014 film directed by Jon Favreau. The plot follows the story of Carl Casper (Favreau), a successful chef who works at a high-end restaurant in Los Angeles. After a public dispute with a food critic (Oliver Platt), Carl quits his job and starts a food truck business with his ex-wife (Sofia Vergara) and son (Emjay Anthony). Along the way, Carl rediscovers his passion for cooking and his love for his family. The film explores themes of family, fatherhood, and following your dreams.
Ctrl+Alt+Compete (2011)
Young tech entrepreneurs Nolan Bushnell (Atari), Felicia Day (The Guild), Tony Hsieh (Zappos), Mike Maples Jr. (Twitter), Tim O'Reilly (Web 2.0 Summit), Veronica Belmont (Tekzilla), and Cliff Bleszinski are featured in the documentary Ctrl+Alt+Compete (Gears of War).
E-Dreams (2001)
E-Dreams is an in-depth look at the highs and lows of a dot com. The movie follows the founders of Kozmo.com as they raise money and file for an IPO. But no one predicted the market crash in April 2000.
Erin Brockovich (2000)
Erin Brockovich is a 2000 biographical film directed by Steven Soderbergh. The movie tells the true story of Erin Brockovich, a single mother and legal assistant who helped to uncover a major environmental contamination case in the California desert. The case involved a company called Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E), which had been releasing toxic hexavalent chromium into the local water supply. Erin, who had no legal training, began to investigate the case and eventually gathered enough evidence to bring a class action lawsuit against the company. The movie follows Erin's journey as she fights against the powerful corporation and helps to bring justice to the affected community. The film stars Julia Roberts as Erin Brockovich, and also features Albert Finney, Aaron Eckhart, and Marg Helgenberger.
Fyre (2019)
Fyre is a 2019 documentary film that tells the story of the failed Fyre Festival, a luxury music festival that was supposed to take place on a private island in the Bahamas in April and May of 2017. The festival was promoted as a once-in-a-lifetime, exclusive experience featuring top musical acts and luxurious accommodations. However, when festival-goers arrived, they found a complete lack of organization, inadequate housing and food, and no musical acts. The documentary explores how the festival's founder, Billy McFarland, and his team promoted the festival through social media influencers and celebrity endorsements and how they misled attendees and investors about the festival's readiness and the luxury level provided. The film also provides a detailed account of the events that led to the collapse of the festival and the consequences for the people involved.
Glengarry Glen Ross (1992)
Glengarry Glen Ross is a 1992 drama film directed by James Foley and starring Al Pacino, Jack Lemmon, Alec Baldwin, Kevin Spacey, Ed Harris, and Alan Arkin. The film is based on David Mamet's Pulitzer Prize-winning play of the same name. The story takes place in a real estate office where the salesmen are on the edge of losing everything and will do whatever it takes to close a sale, including bribery and fraud. The film explores the cutthroat, desperate and ruthless world of high-pressure sales.
It's a Wonderful Life (1946)
It's a Wonderful Life is a 1946 American fantasy drama film directed by Frank Capra and starring James Stewart, Donna Reed, Lionel Barrymore, Thomas Mitchell, and Henry Travers. The film is based on the short story "The Greatest Gift" written by Philip Van Doren Stern.
The story follows George Bailey, a man who has spent his entire life giving up his dreams to help others and is on the brink of suicide on Christmas Eve. An angel named Clarence is sent to earth to show George what life would have been like if he had never been born. Through this journey, George learns the true meaning of life and the impact he has had on his community. The film ultimately ends with George realizing the importance of his life and the people he has touched, and he is granted his wish to return to the present, where he can appreciate the value of his existence.
Jerry Maguire (1996)
Jerry Maguire is a 1996 American romantic comedy-drama film directed by Cameron Crowe and starring Tom Cruise, Cuba Gooding Jr., and Renée Zellweger.
The story centers around Jerry Maguire, a successful sports agent who has a crisis of conscience and writes a mission statement for his company advocating honesty and integrity. As a result, he is fired from his job and loses all of his clients except for a football player named Rod Tidwell (Gooding Jr.). Jerry then starts his agency and begins to build a new life for himself. Along the way, he also creates a romantic relationship with a single mother, Dorothy Boyd (Zellweger), and helps Rod to achieve success on and off the field. The film explores themes of love, family, career, and self-discovery.
Jobs (2013)
"Jobs" is a 2013 biographical drama film that tells the story of Steve Jobs and his rise to become the co-founder and CEO of Apple Inc. The film covers his early days as a college dropout and his eventual co-founding of Apple Computer Inc. in 1976, his ousting in 1985, and his return to Apple in 1996. It also covers his efforts in introducing the Macintosh computer, the iPod, iPhone, and iPad development, and his eventual resignation as CEO of Apple in 2011 due to health issues. The film stars Ashton Kutcher as Steve Jobs and covers the significant events of his life and career.
Joy (2015)
"Joy" is a 2015 American biographical comedy-drama film written and directed by David O. Russell. The movie is based on the life of Joy Mangano, an inventor, and entrepreneur who became a successful self-made millionaire. The story starts with Joy (played by Jennifer Lawrence) as a struggling single mother who is stuck in a dead-end job and living with her dysfunctional family. Despite her difficult circumstances, she is passionate about inventing and creating a new mop. She faces many challenges in bringing her product to the market. Still, with the help of her family and a savvy QVC executive (Bradley Cooper), she manages to start her own business, Joy Mangano, LLC. The movie follows her journey as an inventor and entrepreneur, her rise to success, and the personal and professional challenges she faces along the way.
Lord of War (2005)
Lord of War is a 2005 crime drama film about an illegal arms dealer, Yuri Orlov (played by Nicolas Cage), who becomes one of the most successful arms dealers of all time. The film follows Yuri as he rises through the ranks of the arms trade, making deals with dictators and warlords from around the world and ultimately becoming one of the most powerful and feared men in the industry. However, as Yuri's empire grows, he begins to question the morality of his actions, and the film ultimately explores the dark and destructive consequences of the arms trade.
Margin Call (2011)
Margin Call is a 2011 drama film that tells the story of an investment bank during the early stages of the 2008 financial crisis. The film follows a group of high-level executives at the firm as they grapple with the discovery of a massive portfolio of risky mortgage-backed securities that could bring down the entire company. As the executives scramble to solve the crisis, the film explores the cutthroat world of Wall Street and the moral and ethical dilemmas that arise when profits are put ahead of people. The movie shows how the executives have to make difficult decisions that significantly impact not just the company but the economy as a whole.
Molly's Game (2017)
Molly's Game is a 2017 biographical drama film that tells the true story of Molly Bloom, a former Olympic-class skier who runs an exclusive high-stakes poker game for some wealthy and influential individuals. The film follows Molly as she builds her poker empire and attracts a robust clientele, but her world is turned upside down when she is arrested by the FBI and charged with running an illegal gambling operation. The film then explores Molly's battle to clear her name and the legal and personal challenges she faces along the way. The film also explores Molly's past and how her complicated relationship with her father, a psychologist, pushed her to become a successful independent woman.
Moneyball (2011)
Moneyball is a 2011 sports drama film that tells the true story of Billy Beane, the general manager of the Oakland Athletics baseball team. Faced with a tight budget and losing key players to wealthier teams, Beane turns to a new kind of analysis called sabermetrics that uses statistics to evaluate players and build a winning team. With the help of a young economist named Peter Brand (played by Jonah Hill), Beane can assemble a competitive squad by acquiring undervalued players and using statistical analysis to build a winning strategy. The film follows Beane as he tries to put his new approach to the test and lead the Athletics to success against wealthier and more established teams. Along the way, the film explores the business and strategy of baseball and the challenges of trying to build a winning team in a sport often dictated by big money.
Nightcrawler (2014)
Nightcrawler is a 2014 crime-thriller film that tells the story of Lou Bloom (played by Jake Gyllenhaal), a desperate and ruthless man who stumbles upon the world of freelance crime journalism in Los Angeles. He quickly learns the ins and outs of the business and starts to provide the local TV stations with graphic footage of accidents and crimes. Lou becomes increasingly ruthless and amoral in his pursuit of footage, going so far as to manipulate and stage crime scenes to get more sensational footage. As he becomes more successful, he begins to climb the ranks of the local news industry, but his actions become increasingly sinister and dangerous. The film explores the cutthroat and amoral nature of the news industry and the lengths some will go to for success and power.
Which movies about entrepreneurs and entrepreneurship are your favorites?
Movies are a great source of motivation for entrepreneurs. They can teach us lessons about failure, resilience, and success. They can inspire us and give us the courage to take risks and pursue our dreams. Movies for entrepreneurs can help them understand the challenges they will face in their journey and the rewards that come with them.
There are many movies out there that are perfect for entrepreneurs. Whether you’re looking to gain insight into the entrepreneurial mindset or want an entertaining movie night, these movies will help you get inspired and motivated to pursue your goals.
From biographies, autobiographies, memoirs, and real-life historical accounts to melodramas, and philosophical dramas, movies are not merely unadulterated entertainment. Watching the ordeals and victories of others onscreen (particularly that of real-life entrepreneurs) may enable us to stimulate our imagination, nurture our vision or spur a spark of motivation. These movies' plots are about lofty standards, warnings against greed, and even values we need for authentic and continuing success.
We have compiled a list of movies about entrepreneurs for entrepreneurs with some descriptions and plot summaries from imdb.com and movie posters from movieposters.com.
Any Given Sunday (1999)
Any Given Sunday is a 1999 American sports drama film directed by Oliver Stone and starring Al Pacino, Jamie Foxx, and Cameron Diaz. The film is about a fictional professional American football team, the Miami Sharks, and its players and coaches, who are struggling to deal with the pressures of fame and the brutal nature of the sport. The team's aging veteran quarterback is injured, forcing the coach to start a younger, less experienced player. As the team fights to make it to the playoffs, the coach, the team owner, and the players must confront personal and professional issues on and off the field. The film explores themes of power, ambition, and the price of success.
Catch Me If You Can (2002)
Catch Me If You Can is a 2002 film directed by Steven Spielberg and starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Tom Hanks. The film is based on the true story of Frank Abagnale Jr., a young man who poses as a pilot, a lawyer, and a doctor in the 1960s to defraud millions of dollars from various institutions. He is eventually pursued by an FBI agent, Carl Hanratty, played by Hanks, who is determined to bring him to justice. The film follows Abagnale's escapades and his eventual capture and rehabilitation.
Chef (2014)
"Chef" is a 2014 film directed by Jon Favreau. The plot follows the story of Carl Casper (Favreau), a successful chef who works at a high-end restaurant in Los Angeles. After a public dispute with a food critic (Oliver Platt), Carl quits his job and starts a food truck business with his ex-wife (Sofia Vergara) and son (Emjay Anthony). Along the way, Carl rediscovers his passion for cooking and his love for his family. The film explores themes of family, fatherhood, and following your dreams.
Ctrl+Alt+Compete (2011)
Young tech entrepreneurs Nolan Bushnell (Atari), Felicia Day (The Guild), Tony Hsieh (Zappos), Mike Maples Jr. (Twitter), Tim O'Reilly (Web 2.0 Summit), Veronica Belmont (Tekzilla), and Cliff Bleszinski are featured in the documentary Ctrl+Alt+Compete (Gears of War).
E-Dreams (2001)
E-Dreams is an in-depth look at the highs and lows of a dot com. The movie follows the founders of Kozmo.com as they raise money and file for an IPO. But no one predicted the market crash in April 2000.
Erin Brockovich (2000)
Erin Brockovich is a 2000 biographical film directed by Steven Soderbergh. The movie tells the true story of Erin Brockovich, a single mother and legal assistant who helped to uncover a major environmental contamination case in the California desert. The case involved a company called Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E), which had been releasing toxic hexavalent chromium into the local water supply. Erin, who had no legal training, began to investigate the case and eventually gathered enough evidence to bring a class action lawsuit against the company. The movie follows Erin's journey as she fights against the powerful corporation and helps to bring justice to the affected community. The film stars Julia Roberts as Erin Brockovich, and also features Albert Finney, Aaron Eckhart, and Marg Helgenberger.
Fyre (2019)
Fyre is a 2019 documentary film that tells the story of the failed Fyre Festival, a luxury music festival that was supposed to take place on a private island in the Bahamas in April and May of 2017. The festival was promoted as a once-in-a-lifetime, exclusive experience featuring top musical acts and luxurious accommodations. However, when festival-goers arrived, they found a complete lack of organization, inadequate housing and food, and no musical acts. The documentary explores how the festival's founder, Billy McFarland, and his team promoted the festival through social media influencers and celebrity endorsements and how they misled attendees and investors about the festival's readiness and the luxury level provided. The film also provides a detailed account of the events that led to the collapse of the festival and the consequences for the people involved.
Glengarry Glen Ross (1992)
Glengarry Glen Ross is a 1992 drama film directed by James Foley and starring Al Pacino, Jack Lemmon, Alec Baldwin, Kevin Spacey, Ed Harris, and Alan Arkin. The film is based on David Mamet's Pulitzer Prize-winning play of the same name. The story takes place in a real estate office where the salesmen are on the edge of losing everything and will do whatever it takes to close a sale, including bribery and fraud. The film explores the cutthroat, desperate and ruthless world of high-pressure sales.
It's a Wonderful Life (1946)
It's a Wonderful Life is a 1946 American fantasy drama film directed by Frank Capra and starring James Stewart, Donna Reed, Lionel Barrymore, Thomas Mitchell, and Henry Travers. The film is based on the short story "The Greatest Gift" written by Philip Van Doren Stern.
The story follows George Bailey, a man who has spent his entire life giving up his dreams to help others and is on the brink of suicide on Christmas Eve. An angel named Clarence is sent to earth to show George what life would have been like if he had never been born. Through this journey, George learns the true meaning of life and the impact he has had on his community. The film ultimately ends with George realizing the importance of his life and the people he has touched, and he is granted his wish to return to the present, where he can appreciate the value of his existence.
Jerry Maguire (1996)
Jerry Maguire is a 1996 American romantic comedy-drama film directed by Cameron Crowe and starring Tom Cruise, Cuba Gooding Jr., and Renée Zellweger.
The story centers around Jerry Maguire, a successful sports agent who has a crisis of conscience and writes a mission statement for his company advocating honesty and integrity. As a result, he is fired from his job and loses all of his clients except for a football player named Rod Tidwell (Gooding Jr.). Jerry then starts his agency and begins to build a new life for himself. Along the way, he also creates a romantic relationship with a single mother, Dorothy Boyd (Zellweger), and helps Rod to achieve success on and off the field. The film explores themes of love, family, career, and self-discovery.
Jobs (2013)
"Jobs" is a 2013 biographical drama film that tells the story of Steve Jobs and his rise to become the co-founder and CEO of Apple Inc. The film covers his early days as a college dropout and his eventual co-founding of Apple Computer Inc. in 1976, his ousting in 1985, and his return to Apple in 1996. It also covers his efforts in introducing the Macintosh computer, the iPod, iPhone, and iPad development, and his eventual resignation as CEO of Apple in 2011 due to health issues. The film stars Ashton Kutcher as Steve Jobs and covers the significant events of his life and career.
Joy (2015)
"Joy" is a 2015 American biographical comedy-drama film written and directed by David O. Russell. The movie is based on the life of Joy Mangano, an inventor, and entrepreneur who became a successful self-made millionaire. The story starts with Joy (played by Jennifer Lawrence) as a struggling single mother who is stuck in a dead-end job and living with her dysfunctional family. Despite her difficult circumstances, she is passionate about inventing and creating a new mop. She faces many challenges in bringing her product to the market. Still, with the help of her family and a savvy QVC executive (Bradley Cooper), she manages to start her own business, Joy Mangano, LLC. The movie follows her journey as an inventor and entrepreneur, her rise to success, and the personal and professional challenges she faces along the way.
Lord of War (2005)
Lord of War is a 2005 crime drama film about an illegal arms dealer, Yuri Orlov (played by Nicolas Cage), who becomes one of the most successful arms dealers of all time. The film follows Yuri as he rises through the ranks of the arms trade, making deals with dictators and warlords from around the world and ultimately becoming one of the most powerful and feared men in the industry. However, as Yuri's empire grows, he begins to question the morality of his actions, and the film ultimately explores the dark and destructive consequences of the arms trade.
Margin Call (2011)
Margin Call is a 2011 drama film that tells the story of an investment bank during the early stages of the 2008 financial crisis. The film follows a group of high-level executives at the firm as they grapple with the discovery of a massive portfolio of risky mortgage-backed securities that could bring down the entire company. As the executives scramble to solve the crisis, the film explores the cutthroat world of Wall Street and the moral and ethical dilemmas that arise when profits are put ahead of people. The movie shows how the executives have to make difficult decisions that significantly impact not just the company but the economy as a whole.
Molly's Game (2017)
Molly's Game is a 2017 biographical drama film that tells the true story of Molly Bloom, a former Olympic-class skier who runs an exclusive high-stakes poker game for some wealthy and influential individuals. The film follows Molly as she builds her poker empire and attracts a robust clientele, but her world is turned upside down when she is arrested by the FBI and charged with running an illegal gambling operation. The film then explores Molly's battle to clear her name and the legal and personal challenges she faces along the way. The film also explores Molly's past and how her complicated relationship with her father, a psychologist, pushed her to become a successful independent woman.
Moneyball (2011)
Moneyball is a 2011 sports drama film that tells the true story of Billy Beane, the general manager of the Oakland Athletics baseball team. Faced with a tight budget and losing key players to wealthier teams, Beane turns to a new kind of analysis called sabermetrics that uses statistics to evaluate players and build a winning team. With the help of a young economist named Peter Brand (played by Jonah Hill), Beane can assemble a competitive squad by acquiring undervalued players and using statistical analysis to build a winning strategy. The film follows Beane as he tries to put his new approach to the test and lead the Athletics to success against wealthier and more established teams. Along the way, the film explores the business and strategy of baseball and the challenges of trying to build a winning team in a sport often dictated by big money.
Nightcrawler (2014)
Nightcrawler is a 2014 crime-thriller film that tells the story of Lou Bloom (played by Jake Gyllenhaal), a desperate and ruthless man who stumbles upon the world of freelance crime journalism in Los Angeles. He quickly learns the ins and outs of the business and starts to provide the local TV stations with graphic footage of accidents and crimes. Lou becomes increasingly ruthless and amoral in his pursuit of footage, going so far as to manipulate and stage crime scenes to get more sensational footage. As he becomes more successful, he begins to climb the ranks of the local news industry, but his actions become increasingly sinister and dangerous. The film explores the cutthroat and amoral nature of the news industry and the lengths some will go to for success and power.