5 Popular Films That Feature the Insurance Industry
The world of insurance may not seem like it has the makings of a Hollywood blockbuster, but you would be surprised. The human connections, stories, and investigations from various forms of insurance have led to a wide range of movies with the insurance industry at the focal point. Check out some of the more popular films that feature insurance at its core and how they deliver integral character and plot moments for characters.
1. John Q
Denzel Washington stars in an intense thriller where he plays a father who seeks a heart transplant for his ill son. Changes in his health insurance complicate things and Washington’s character holds members of the hospital hostage as he awaits his transplant options. Several minor roles feature insurance workers who sympathize with the character’s actions and want to help in any way they can. As the intensity builds up, crucial decisions get made to help save his son’s life and proceed with the heart transplant.
2. The Rainmaker
Written and directed by Francis Ford Coppola, the legal drama The Rainmaker focuses on health insurance at the heart of the film’s main court case. While not representative of the insurance industry in real life, the great acting skills of Matt Damon and Danny DeVito carry the film and make the whole narrative compelling and exciting to watch. The film was a breakout role for Damon, who also starred in Good Will Hunting in the same year.
3. The Thomas Crown Affair
In the 1999 remake film, Pierce Brosnan stars as a rich art collector who likes to complete heists just for the thrill. When he steals a famous painting, he must go toe-to-toe with an insurance investigator who wants to find the painting so the insurance doesn’t have to cover the costs. The cat-and-mouse game between the two stars creates a lot of fun and exciting scenes that include multiple locations across the globe.
4. Entrapment
Another caper film that involves insurance, the 1999 release stars Catherine Zeta-Jones and Sean Connery as two thieves. Initially posing as an insurance investigator, Zeta Jones’ character reveals she is a true thief who seeks out rare jewels like diamonds. The film features a lot of intense heist scenes and great chemistry between the two leads who train together and have a lot of back-and-forth action.
5. Alias Jesse James
Released in 1959, Alias Jesse James stars Bob Hope as a bumbling insurance agent who gives a life insurance policy to the outlaw Jesse James. What follows is a madcap tale of mistaken identity as James tries to scam the insurance worker and claim all of the insurance money. Despite the outlandish plot, Bob Hope has a lot of scene-stealing moments and the western genre mixes well with his unique comedy style.
Many of these films are available either through streaming releases or on physical formats like DVD and Blu-Ray. Despite the fictional storylines, they all showcase some of the more unique sides of the insurance industry and different types of insurance that people can take out for protection.
