3 Timeless Movies That Teach Valuable Personal Finance Lessons

Although most movies are fiction, fiction has been instrumental in spreading some of the most influential concepts of our day along with a few trading tools like the bitcoin era . Movies, one of the most widely viewed mass forms of fiction today, have contributed to the structuring of concepts and teachings in ways that we can all grasp. Personal finances are no different.

1. Wall Street

Is it healthy to be greedy? Gordon Gekko claims that it is. In 1987, Michael Douglas received an Oscar for his portrayal of the Manhattan financier. Additionally, it provided pop culture with an iconic money figure to stand in for the avarice that a capitalist society may foster as well as the risks to the economy.

Gekko’s get-rich-at-all-costs mentality has been embraced by younger generations of financiers, and the movie has virtually equaled the fame of the street it is named for. Stanley Weiser, a screenwriter, is not necessarily satisfied with it, though. 

Young up-and-comer Bud Fox (Charlie Sheen) is portrayed in the movie as being eager to do whatever it takes to join Gekko’s squad, including obtaining insider information to engage in illegitimate stock trading. In order to fulfill Gekko’s avarice, it finally results in his betrayal of his own father (Martin Sheen). After being apprehended for his wrongdoings, Bud is finally used by the police to turn on Gekko and learn more about his shady business operations, securing a lighter sentence for Bud.

The traditional tale of an ambitious young worker who strives for success in the bitcoin era at all costs but is unaware of its traps is told in “Wall Street.” By the end of the film, Bud Fox has learned a crucial lesson: Living an honorable and loyal life and abiding by the law are more essential than having all the money in the world.

2. Glengarry Glen Ros

Con artists are commonplace. Bottom-feeding real estate agents spend their time persuading customers to purchase Florida land for much more than it is actually worth in David Mamet’s “Glengarry Glen Ross.” Doing whatever it takes to succeed is a similar idea to “Wall Street,” with one significant difference: These guys aren’t wealthy.

Mamet’s portrayal of the American Dream is depressing. One in which the weakest and most desperate of us are conned by desperate men who will do whatever it takes. When simple trickery fails, they plot and turn against one another to get an advantage in the race for sales success. Jack Lemmon’s Shelley “The Machine” Levene, who went into the workplace late at night to steal the highly sought-after Glengarry sales leads, is ultimately the lone character to suffer penalties. the other brokers who defraud regular people of their money? They are not charged.

On the sales floor, “ABC, Always Be Closing” may be sound advice, but it’s not when it comes to leading a fulfilling, well-rounded life. Every day of the week, producing an honest living is preferable to engaging in illegal money-making schemes, even if the rewards aren’t as great.

3. A Perfect Murder

Debt is fatal. Steven Taylor (Michael Douglas) uses his personal wealth as leverage for a business deal in “A Perfect Murder,” which leads to him getting into trouble. He loses his wager and is forced to file for bankruptcy. It’s fortunate that he is wed to a multi-million dollar rich heiress. Is it, then?

Taylor receives a severe double blow when it is revealed that his wife, who is portrayed by Gwyneth Paltrow, is having an affair and considering leaving her husband for another man (Viggo Mortensen). When Taylor looks into the past of the Viggo Mortensen character, she discovers that the paramour had engaged in some shady business. Taylor then uses this information as leverage to threaten Viggo with having his wife killed. It’s a complicated technique that all originated from an excessively leveraged investment strategy and the resulting massive debt.

There are definitely beneficial sorts of debt, provided that your financial circumstances allow for them. These days, you may get a home mortgage and student loans at cheap interest rates, which both let you put money into the future. However, other types of personal debt, such as leasing an unnecessary car or charging a lavish vacation to your credit card, are sneaky and might be harmful.

Avoid Taylor’s destiny by being frugal with your money and by never investing money that you cannot afford to lose. Even if they are not quite as dangerous in reality as Taylor’s situation, debt traps are deep and dangerous.