Besides being entertaining, cinema is a great source of culture and inspiration. After all, it can transmit new knowledge and experiences. Many films about economics are works of fiction capable of immersing the viewer in a new universe and enabling different understandings of the subject.

Whether you are already studying or wish to study in this area, you want to undertake Whether you're working for a large company or not, movies help open your mind to new possibilities.

With that in mind, we've prepared this article with the best films about Economics so you can discover new topics in the field. Check it out.

1. Real — The Plan Behind the Story

The film Real is Brazilian and takes place in Brasília in 1993. After a succession of unsuccessful economic plans, the country is plunged into hyperinflation. A group of economists is recruited and protected in a bunker against political pressure.

The members needed to delve into the task of reforming the State. To this end, a plan aimed at economic reforms and economic stabilization was created and implemented, which would come to be called the Real Plan.

2. Inside Job

This film won the Oscar in 2011. Narrated by Matt Damon and directed by Charles Ferguson, Inside Job analyzes and exposes the facts that caused the 2008 economic crisis, which caused great damage to the economies of many countries and whose repercussions continue to this day.

Through extensive interviews and research with politicians, economists, and journalists, the production shows how the combination of cynicism, greed, negligence, and deregulation led the market to collapse. Throughout the film, the consequences of the bursting bubble are shown, as well as identifying those responsible.

Although the sheer volume of detail and information makes it a better choice for those already familiar with the financial market, the film Inside Job is an economics lesson that shouldn't be ignored.

Start your Business Administration degree at a great college.

The course of Administration in ESEG, The program, which received the highest possible score in the National Student Performance Examination (ENADE), guarantees the training of professionals prepared for the job market. By providing a curriculum aligned with new technologies and contemporary demands, the course offers practical immersion in the business environment, preparing students to lead and innovate.

Transform your future into the present! Join ESEG and change the course of your career. Register now! Learn about our admission methods. Secure your spot through our [link/method - context needed]. traditional entrance exam, ENEM score, transfer or second degree!

3. Freakonomics

What if what everyone believes isn't quite true? Freakonomics is a film that aims to challenge common sense. Conceived by economist Steven Levitt, along with journalist Stephen Dubner, the work uses economic theory applied to the construction and deconstruction of ideas on many everyday topics — such as education, crime, and the behavior of agents in the real estate market.

The film also blends pop culture and economics to showcase the surprising application of various economic themes to explain things to society. Everything is based on the relationship between our daily lives and economics, making the examples tangible and demonstrating the relevance of understanding the subject to our lives.

4. The Rise of Money

The film is based on the book of the same name by Harvard professor Niall Ferguson. Its content explores the rise of money and its impact on the development and progress of society up to the 21st century.

The work allows one to explore the social relationship with money and human history, while simultaneously revealing the brutality and fragility of the capitalist financial system. Furthermore, it offers a broad and important overview for understanding how the world has dealt with economic crises, such as the stock market crash, and what has been done for its recovery.

5. A Beautiful Mind

For those who really like Economics and Mathematics, This film tells the story of Nobel Prize-winning economist and mathematical genius John Forbes Nash. The work presents the challenges of schizophrenia, an illness that afflicted Nash and caused him to spend many years in psychiatric hospitals.

Among Nash's numerous contributions to science are differential geometry, game theory, and partial differential equations. The scientist's discoveries had a major impact on economic theory, with important consequences for the fields of finance, microeconomics, and macroeconomics.

6. Too Big to Fail

Still on the subject of the great crisis of 2008, Too Big to Fail tells the story from the perspective of the United States Secretary of the Treasury at the time. The plot focuses on the protagonist and his team's quest, along with important figures on Wall Street, to save the American economy.

The film addresses a topic that gained prominence at the time due to the prevailing economic instability. The film's title conveys the idea that the collapse of certain companies, such as giant financial institutions, can have devastating consequences for society as a whole.

7. The Corporation

The film depicts a major controversy involving the U.S. Supreme Court, which concluded that, in the eyes of the law, a corporation is a "person." From this conclusion, the power of large corporations in the modern world is analyzed.

Environmental devastation and the cheap exploitation of labor in the Third World are some of the topics explored. There are also interviews with presidents of corporations such as IBM, Shell, and Nike, as well as Michael Moore, Milton Friedman, and Noam Chomsky.

8. The Big Short

With a more didactic tone, The Big Short tells how the crisis financial The financial crisis of 2008 began and developed to the point of causing a collapse in the economy of the United States and other countries. The film tells the story of a group of investors who evaluate a small company and realize that the housing market is going to crash.

In this scenario, investing in big banks would be a way to make a fortune. The film makes a complicated topic easily understandable. Insurance, long-term investments, and mortgages are presented in humorous sketches.

9. The Wolf of Wall Street

This film is about Economy It tells the story of a stockbroker who leads a very extravagant life in the mid-1990s. The character mainly trades penny stocks, with values below US$$1.00.

With this, he gains fame and fortune, transforming a small company into one of the largest stock brokerage firms. This attracts the attention of the FBI due to his less-than-transparent tactics. The film is a good option for those who want to learn more about the American stock market.

10. Margin Call

Margin Call depicts the tense period experienced by employees of a brokerage firm during the early stages of the 2008 financial crisis. The major dilemma at the time was deciding what to do when a negative change in the stock price could lead the company to bankruptcy.

The film is a great lesson in how the world is competitive and needs professionals with agility in execution, as well as sound reasoning skills in their decisions. It also helps to understand how crises are normal in the capitalist system and have occurred many times before.

11. The Man Who Changed the Game

The film tells the story of a man who uses mathematical analysis from a computer to build a successful baseball team. Those interested in subjects like statistics and econometrics will enjoy how these topics are addressed.

With a simple example, such as sports, history shows that any business benefits from... work of an economist.

12. Money Game

The film tells the story of Le
Gates, an eccentric television host who gives investment advice on his show, is kidnapped live on air by a man furious at having lost money by following the host's advice.

A global corruption scheme is behind the losses, demonstrating how interconnected the world's financial market is. Even amidst the tension of the kidnapping, there's room for comedic relief, critiques of media portrayal, and the capitalist system.

13. On the Wheel of Fortune

Following the death of the president and founder of Hudsucker Industries, the company's shareholder is tasked with assuming the role. His plan is to convince the market that the business is on the verge of bankruptcy, with the goal of lowering the share price.

The shareholder's strategy is to put a layman in charge of the company. The film is funny and satirically portrays the hierarchical corporate world, with stereotypical characters and unusual situations.

14. Wall Street: Power and Greed

First major film about Economics and financial market, Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps tells the story of a criminal stockbroker named Gordon Gekko. The film shows the behind-the-scenes world of the corporate world in the 1980s, following an ambitious young stockbroker who dreams of meeting his idol.

The film addresses the highly lucrative industry of trading. On the other hand, it's interesting to understand how the main character's greed in achieving the lifestyle he's always dreamed of can lead him to pay a high price.

15. The Iron Lady

This film portrays the life of British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, who governed the United Kingdom from 1979 to 1990. The importance of this work for understanding economics lies in the historical context in which Margaret led the country.

She was considered responsible for bringing an end to the Fordist era in the world economy, a system based on the production line. It's quite common to hear the term "neoliberal," but few people understand its meaning.

Through The Iron Lady, it is possible to better understand this economic ideology, applied by Thatcher to achieve stability in the United Kingdom. She gained many followers, but also detractors due to her "hardline" policies.

Movies about economics are great options for those interested in the field. They present different scenarios about the economic sector and its ramifications. Therefore, take advantage of your free time to have fun and expand your knowledge.

Do your friends also enjoy a good movie? Then share this content on your social networks and invite everyone to watch the listed titles as well.

Follow ESEG – Faculdade do Grupo Etapa on social media: