7 Top Finance Documentaries And Where To Watch Them

Finance documentaries
Credit: PhotoMix Company / Pixabay

To understand the risks and impact investors have on the world, you should watch these top finance documentaries.

Below we’ve found five of the best finance documentaries available, with some available 100-percent on YouTube for free. From the history of finance to a deep-dive into Warren Buffet. We’ve got you covered.

1. Inside Job (2010) – Available to rent on Apple or Google for $2.99, or buy for $12.99

Inside Job tops the list for best finance documentaries because it is one of the most comprehensive deep-dives into the 2008 housing and banking crisis. It even won the 2010 Oscar for best documentary.

The documentary begins with the U.S. policy changes that allowed an economic bubble to grow between 2001 and 2007. It then shows the events throughout 2008 as the crisis impacted the nation.

This is one of the most relevant finance documentaries available and worth every cent it currently costs. IMDb gives Inside Job a rating of 8.2 from 68k votes.

CHECK OUT: The 5 signs experts point to to predict a stock market crash

2. 25 Million Pounds (1996) – Watch The Full Documentary Below

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vi_QmFwjWME

25 Million Pounds is the true story of Nick Leeson, a trader who broke the law and brought down Bearings Investment Bank. Bearings was a bank that held money for the elite, including the Queen.

The documentary is about how Nick Leeson dealt with dishonest traders and hid losses, ultimately leading to the bank going bankrupt. This true story inspired the movie Rogue Trader, which starred Ewan McGregor and Anna Friel.

Despite the poor video quality, this is one of the best finance documentaries that puts risk on a pedestal.

3. Trader (1987) – Watch The Full Documentary Below

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-tP7nXjjg1c

This documentary follows Paul Tudor Jones, a superstitious hedge fund manager who predicted the 1987 economic slump.

The super-intelligent Jones makes the point that even experts in the finance sector rely on luck as much as data. Proving that every investment is a risk.

Whereas most finance documentaries focus on the negatives of those working in finance, this documentary shows the human side and gives a well-rounded look at Paul Tudor Jones who gave back to his community. IMDb gives Trader a rating of 7.2.

CHECK OUT: 5 stock market movies that every budding investor should watch

4. Becoming Warren Buffett (2017) – HBO Max and Kanopy

HBO Max went behind the scenes to make a documentary on one of the most famous investors ever, Warren Buffett.

This high-end finance documentary takes a deep-dive into Buffett’s life, from childhood to becoming one of the world’s richest people.

What’s most fascinating about this documentary is that you get to see Warren Buffett today and it’s far from what you’d expect. Plus there’s tips throughout.

IMDb rates Becoming Warren Buffett 7.6 from 3.2k votes.

5. The Ascent of Money (2008) – Watch Episode One Below

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JAbVltqySrA

If you’re curious about the history of the financial world, then The Ascent of Money should make your top-5 finance documentaries watch list.

Going from the ancient city of Babylon to the 2008 financial crisis could be a bore, but historian Niall Ferguson explains the world’s financial story, giving perspective into how money works and why.

This multi-episode series is available on YouTube and is both entertaining and educational, IMDb rates The Ascent of Money 8.0 from 677 votes.

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6. Quants: The Alchemists of Wall Street (2010) – Watch The Full Documentary Below

This documentary is for the technically minded want-to-be investor, offering the perfect glimpse under-the-hood of the super-intelligent people fuelling the engine room of global financial systems. These people are known as Quants.

Quants: The Alchemists of Wall Street is aptly named as some of these people are genuine mathematical wizards. However, the documentary proves they are not always right and that human behavior often doesn’t follow mathematical rules or logic.

From financial products that almost crashed the financial market to the latest high-speed trading, Quants appear to be at the heart of Wall Street.

7. Enron, The Smartest Guys in The Room (2013) – Stream for free on The Roku Channel, IMDb TV, and Tubi

Everyone knows about the fall of Enron, however how much do you really know? This documentary takes a deep-dive into the company that claimed revenue of $100-billion before vanishing in disgrace.

From accountancy fraud to corporate corruption, this documentary shines a light on it all. So if you’re looking for a devious company running illegal schemes, this is the documentary for you.

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