Best Movies like The Wolf of Wall Street (2013)

American Hustle explores high-stakes cons and corruption in the world of finance and crime, echoing the themes of ambition, excess, and law enforcement investigations found in The Wolf of Wall Street. Both films are set around figures who manipulate the system for personal gain and face the consequences.

A conman and his seductive partner are forced to work for a wild FBI agent, who pushes them into a world of Jersey power-brokers and the Mafia. American Hustle is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 2h 18m runtime, released in 2013 with an average rating of 6.9 by 7,828 people. The movie made an estimated total of $251,171,807 in the box office.

Boiler Room centers on young brokers drawn into the illegal side of finance, reflecting the high-octane sales culture and fraudulent schemes depicted in The Wolf of Wall Street. Both films delve into the world of stock scams and the allure and fallout of quick wealth.

A college dropout gets a job as a broker for a suburban investment firm and is on the fast track to success—but the job might not be as legitimate as it sounds. Boiler Room is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 1h 59m runtime, released in 2000 with an average rating of 6.7 by 756 people. The movie made an estimated total of $28,780,255 in the box office.

Catch Me If You Can, like The Wolf of Wall Street, is inspired by real events involving elaborate cons and the pursuit of wealth. Both feature charismatic protagonists who become entangled in webs of deception and must outwit authorities intent on bringing them to justice.

A true story about Frank Abagnale Jr. who, before his 19th birthday, successfully conned millions of dollars worth of checks as a Pan Am pilot, doctor, and legal prosecutor. An FBI agent makes it his mission to put him behind bars. But Frank not only eludes capture, he revels in the pursuit. Catch Me If You Can is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 2h 21m runtime, released in 2002 with an average rating of 8.0 by 17,319 people. The movie made an estimated total of $352,114,312 in the box office.

Wall Street dissects corporate greed, stock market manipulation, and moral ambiguity in the high-pressure world of finance, directly paralleling the themes and setting in The Wolf of Wall Street. Both movies focus on brokers chasing success at any cost on Wall Street.

A young and impatient stockbroker is willing to do anything to get to the top, including trading on illegal inside information taken through a ruthless and greedy corporate raider, whom takes the youth under his wing. Wall Street is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 2h 6m runtime, released in 1987 with an average rating of 7.2 by 2,282 people. The movie made an estimated total of $43,900,000 in the box office.

The Big Short examines financial deception and the fallout of corruption within the banking system, sharing with The Wolf of Wall Street an incisive look at unchecked ambition, systemic fraud, and the consequences suffered when the truth unravels in the world of big money.

The men who made millions from a global economic meltdown. The Big Short is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 2h 11m runtime, released in 2015 with an average rating of 7.4 by 9,947 people. The movie made an estimated total of $133,346,506 in the box office.

GoodFellas tracks the rise and fall of a criminal driven by ambition, greed, and loyalty, paralleling The Wolf of Wall Street in its depiction of law-breaking protagonists experiencing the seductive pull of excess before facing steep consequences.

The true story of Henry Hill, a half-Irish, half-Sicilian Brooklyn kid who is adopted by neighbourhood gangsters at an early age and climbs the ranks of a Mafia family under the guidance of Jimmy Conway. GoodFellas is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 2h 25m runtime, released in 1990 with an average rating of 8.5 by 14,562 people. The movie made an estimated total of $47,072,327 in the box office.

Casino, set amidst crime, opulence, and risky ventures, also follows a charismatic antihero whose climb is marked by illegal dealings and eventual legal troubles, mirroring the journey and themes explored in The Wolf of Wall Street.

In Las Vegas, two best friends--a casino executive and a Mafia enforcer--compete for a gambling empire and a fast-living, fast-loving socialite. Casino is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 2h 59m runtime, released in 1995 with an average rating of 8.0 by 6,638 people. The movie made an estimated total of $116,112,375 in the box office.

The Social Network follows the meteoric rise of a young entrepreneur whose relentless pursuit of success brings ethical conflict and personal consequences, echoing the exploration of ambition, excess, and fallout found in The Wolf of Wall Street.

In 2003, Harvard undergrad and computer programmer Mark Zuckerberg begins work on a new concept that eventually turns into the global social network known as Facebook. Six years later, Mark is one of the youngest billionaires ever, but his unprecedented success leads to both personal and legal complications when he ends up on the receiving end of two lawsuits, one involving his former friend. The Social Network is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 2h 1m runtime, released in 2010 with an average rating of 7.4 by 13,322 people. The movie made an estimated total of $224,920,315 in the box office.

The Insider focuses on corporate wrongdoing and whistleblowing within powerful business settings, complementing The Wolf of Wall Street by exploring the personal and legal repercussions of exposing fraud and the moral dilemmas faced by those who choose to speak out.

A research chemist comes under personal and professional attack when he decides to appear in a 60 Minutes exposé on Big Tobacco. The Insider is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 2h 38m runtime, released in 1999 with an average rating of 7.5 by 2,106 people. The movie made an estimated total of $60,300,000 in the box office.

Lord of War features a charismatic lead immersed in illegal business and moral quandaries, whose pursuit of fortune leads to personal and legal peril, paralleling core narrative elements in The Wolf of Wall Street.

Yuri Orlov is a globetrotting arms dealer and, through some of the deadliest war zones, he struggles to stay one step ahead of a relentless Interpol agent, his business rivals and even some of his customers who include many of the world's most notorious dictators. Finally, he must also face his own conscience. Lord of War is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 2h 2m runtime, released in 2005 with an average rating of 7.3 by 5,437 people. The movie made an estimated total of $72,600,000 in the box office.

War Dogs follows two unlikely partners as they profit from questionable deals in the world of arms trading. Both films chronicle ambitious outsiders running lucrative but risky operations while navigating moral ambiguity and the attention of law enforcement.

Based on the true story of two young men, David Packouz and Efraim Diveroli, who won a $300 million contract from the Pentagon to arm America's allies in Afghanistan. War Dogs is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 1h 54m runtime, released in 2016 with an average rating of 6.9 by 5,584 people. The movie made an estimated total of $86,234,523 in the box office.

Pain & Gain centers on ambitious characters involved in criminal activity and extravagant lifestyles, echoing themes of greed, flawed morality, and the consequences of unchecked ambition found in The Wolf of Wall Street.

Daniel Lugo, manager of the Sun Gym in 1990s Miami, decides that there is only one way to achieve his version of the American dream: extortion. To achieve his goal, he recruits musclemen Paul and Adrian as accomplices. After several failed attempts, they abduct rich businessman Victor Kershaw and convince him to sign over all his assets to them. But when Kershaw makes it out alive, authorities are reluctant to believe his story. Pain & Gain is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 2h 10m runtime, released in 2013 with an average rating of 6.3 by 4,860 people. The movie made an estimated total of $87,305,549 in the box office.

Blow tells the story of a self-made figure who rises to wealth and notoriety through illegal means, only to face downfall and legal trouble, much like the arc experienced by the protagonist in The Wolf of Wall Street.

The story of how George Jung, together with the Medellín Cartel led by Pablo Escobar, established the billion-dollar cocaine empire in the United States in the 1970s. Blow is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 2h 4m runtime, released in 2001 with an average rating of 7.4 by 4,651 people. The movie made an estimated total of $83,300,000 in the box office.

The Founder chronicles the relentless pursuit of business success through questionable tactics, connecting with the theme of ambition overriding ethics and the consequences of relentless expansion shared by The Wolf of Wall Street.

The true story of how Ray Kroc, a salesman from Illinois, met Mac and Dick McDonald, who were running a burger operation in 1950s Southern California. Kroc was impressed by the brothers’ speedy system of making the food and saw franchise potential. He maneuvered himself into a position to be able to pull the company from the brothers and create a billion-dollar empire. The Founder is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 1h 55m runtime, released in 2016 with an average rating of 7.1 by 5,452 people. The movie made an estimated total of $24,121,245 in the box office.

The Great Gatsby, also set in 2013, navigates themes of luxurious excess, the American dream, and personal downfall, drawing notable parallels with the world of decadent parties and shattered ambitions found in The Wolf of Wall Street.

An adaptation of F. Scott Fitzgerald's Long Island-set novel, where Midwesterner Nick Carraway is lured into the lavish world of his neighbor, Jay Gatsby. Soon enough, however, Carraway will see through the cracks of Gatsby's nouveau riche existence, where obsession, madness, and tragedy await. The Great Gatsby is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 2h 23m runtime, released in 2013 with an average rating of 7.3 by 13,052 people. The movie made an estimated total of $351,040,419 in the box office.

Scarface documents the trajectory of an ambitious man ascending through criminal ranks, indulging in wealth and excess before facing inevitable decline—mirroring the rise-and-fall narrative and cautionary themes of The Wolf of Wall Street.

After getting a green card in exchange for assassinating a Cuban government official, Tony Montana stakes a claim on the drug trade in Miami. Viciously murdering anyone who stands in his way, Tony eventually becomes the biggest drug lord in the state, controlling nearly all the cocaine that comes through Miami. But increased pressure from the police, wars with Colombian drug cartels and his own drug-fueled paranoia serve to fuel the flames of his eventual downfall. Scarface is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 2h 50m runtime, released in 1983 with an average rating of 8.2 by 13,236 people. The movie made an estimated total of $66,023,329 in the box office.

Money Monster spotlights financial markets, greed, and the exposure of systemic corruption, tightly aligning with the backdrop and exploration of risky power games present in The Wolf of Wall Street.

Financial TV host Lee Gates and his producer Patty are put in an extreme situation when an irate investor takes over their studio. Money Monster is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 1h 39m runtime, released in 2016 with an average rating of 6.4 by 3,173 people. The movie made an estimated total of $93,282,604 in the box office.

Thank You for Smoking centers on a persuasive, morally flexible protagonist navigating corporate responsibility, image management, and public scrutiny—echoing the focus on ambition, questionable ethics, and personal consequences shared with The Wolf of Wall Street.

Nick Naylor is a charismatic spin-doctor for Big Tobacco who'll fight to protect America's right to smoke -- even if it kills him -- while still remaining a role model for his 12-year old son. When he incurs the wrath of a senator bent on snuffing out cigarettes, Nick's powers of "filtering the truth" will be put to the test. Thank You for Smoking is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 1h 32m runtime, released in 2005 with an average rating of 7.2 by 2,443 people. The movie made an estimated total of $24,793,509 in the box office.

The Informant! is about an insider who exposes corporate fraud, blending humor and crime in a true-life context. It resonates with The Wolf of Wall Street through its focus on deception, white-collar crime, and the comedic presentation of serious infractions.

A rising star at agri-industry giant Archer Daniels Midland (ADM), Mark Whitacre suddenly turns whistleblower. Even as he exposes his company’s multi-national price-fixing conspiracy to the FBI, Whitacre envisions himself being hailed as a hero of the common man and handed a promotion. The Informant! is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 1h 48m runtime, released in 2009 with an average rating of 6.2 by 993 people. The movie made an estimated total of $41,771,168 in the box office.

Gold explores the obsession with quick riches and fraud in business, featuring a character whose quest for fortune leads to elaborate deceptions and legal troubles, closely mirroring the pursuit of wealth and downfall seen in The Wolf of Wall Street.

Kenny Wells, a modern-day prospector, hustler, and dreamer, is desperate for a lucky break. Left with few options, Wells teams up with an equally luckless geologist to execute a grandiose, last-ditch effort: to find gold deep in the uncharted jungle of Indonesia. Gold is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 2h 0m runtime, released in 2016 with an average rating of 6.6 by 1,775 people. The movie made an estimated total of $14,880,939 in the box office.

Barry Lyndon follows the moral and social ascent of a deeply ambitious protagonist, ultimately facing the costs of his choices. Both this film and The Wolf of Wall Street chronicle the seductive nature—and ultimate dangers—of chasing fortune and high status.

An Irish rogue uses his cunning and wit to work his way up the social classes of 18th century England, transforming himself from the humble Redmond Barry into the noble Barry Lyndon. Barry Lyndon is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 3h 8m runtime, released in 1975 with an average rating of 8.0 by 3,228 people. The movie made an estimated total of $31,500,000 in the box office.

The Big Kahuna is set against the backdrop of salesmanship and corporate ambition, focusing on business ethics and personal revelations within a high-pressure culture, themes that also drive the narrative and character dynamics in The Wolf of Wall Street.

Three salesmen working for a firm that makes industrial lubricants are waiting in the company's "hospitality suite" at a manufacturers' convention for a "big kahuna" named Dick Fuller to show up, in hopes they can persuade him to place an order that could salvage the company's flagging sales. The Big Kahuna is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 1h 30m runtime, released in 1999 with an average rating of 6.8 by 375 people. The movie made an estimated total of $3,728,888 in the box office.

Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room dissects the real-life downfall of a company built on financial deception and corporate malfeasance, directly connecting to The Wolf of Wall Street’s themes of Wall Street corruption and catastrophic consequences.

A documentary about the Enron corporation, its faulty and corrupt business practices, and how they led to its fall. Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 1h 50m runtime, released in 2005 with an average rating of 7.2 by 301 people.

Layer Cake explores the criminal underpinnings of an ostensibly legitimate business world and follows a protagonist entangled in ambition and risky deals, much like The Wolf of Wall Street’s examination of illicit operations behind the surface of wealth.

When a seemingly straight-forward drug deal goes awry, XXXX has to break his die-hard rules and turn up the heat, not only to outwit the old regime and come out on top, but to save his own skin... Layer Cake is a movie from United Kingdom in English, with a total 1h 45m runtime, released in 2004 with an average rating of 6.9 by 2,415 people. The movie made an estimated total of $11,900,000 in the box office.

The Hudsucker Proxy combines corporate satire with tales of ambitious individuals facing the absurdities of big business, complementing The Wolf of Wall Street’s depiction of outlandish workplace culture and the pitfalls of unchecked upward mobility.

A naive business graduate is installed as president of a manufacturing company as part of a stock scam. The Hudsucker Proxy is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 1h 51m runtime, released in 1994 with an average rating of 7.1 by 1,208 people. The movie made an estimated total of $2,800,000 in the box office.

The Air I Breathe interweaves stories involving crime, business risk, and the impact of personal choices, resonating with The Wolf of Wall Street’s exploration of how ambition and reckless decisions shape destinies in modern society.

A gambler’s bet spiraling into chaos, a gangster's prophetic visions, a pop star’s dark entanglement, a doctor’s desperate race against time to rescue his beloved... Four interconnected stories reveal life unfolding through four emotional pillars — joy, passion, grief, and love. The Air I Breathe is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 1h 35m runtime, released in 2007 with an average rating of 6.3 by 406 people.

Margin Call offers a tense examination of a financial firm on the brink of collapse, delving into the high-stress decision-making and ethical dilemmas that are also central to the world depicted in The Wolf of Wall Street.

Set in the high-stakes world of the financial industry, involving the key players at an investment firm during one perilous 24-hour period in the early stages of the 2008 financial crisis. An entry-level analyst unlocks information that could prove to be the downfall of the firm. Margin Call is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 1h 47m runtime, released in 2011 with an average rating of 6.9 by 2,129 people. The movie made an estimated total of $19,504,039 in the box office.

Vicky Cristina Barcelona, while structurally different, shares with The Wolf of Wall Street the exploration of characters pushing boundaries and being irresistibly drawn toward temptation and the pursuit of pleasure, leading to self-discovery and conflict.

Two girlfriends on a summer holiday in Spain become enamored with the same painter, unaware that his ex-wife, with whom he has a tempestuous relationship, is about to re-enter the picture. Vicky Cristina Barcelona is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 1h 36m runtime, released in 2008 with an average rating of 6.8 by 4,066 people. The movie made an estimated total of $96,409,830 in the box office.

The Gambler centers on risk, compulsion, and the destructive pursuit of more—a narrative kin to The Wolf of Wall Street’s thematic investigation of addiction to both fortune and danger within impressive yet fragile lifestyles.

Literature professor Jim Bennett leads a secret life as a high-stakes gambler. Always a risk-taker, Bennett bets it all when he borrows from a gangster and offers his own life as collateral. Staying one step ahead, he pits his creditor against the operator of an illicit gambling ring while garnering the attention of Frank, a paternalistic loan shark. As his relationship with a student deepens, Bennett must risk everything for a second chance. The Gambler is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 1h 51m runtime, released in 2014 with an average rating of 6.0 by 1,588 people. The movie made an estimated total of $39,171,130 in the box office.

Confidence deals with con artists, elaborate scams, and the dangers inherent in criminal enterprise, aligning with The Wolf of Wall Street’s focus on high-stakes deception and the underlying peril of operating outside the law.

What Jake Vig doesn't know just might get him killed. A sharp and polished grifter, Jake has just swindled thousands of dollars from the unsuspecting Lionel Dolby with the help of his crew. It becomes clear that Lionel wasn't just any mark, he was an accountant for eccentric crime boss Winston King. Jake and his crew will have to stay one step ahead of both the criminals and the cops to finally settle their debt. Confidence is a movie from Canada in English, with a total 1h 37m runtime, released in 2003 with an average rating of 6.3 by 485 people. The movie made an estimated total of $23,014,206 in the box office.

Swimming with Sharks explores power abuse, ambition, and ruthless maneuvering within high-stakes corporate environments, paralleling the cutthroat workplace dynamics and ethical compromises central to The Wolf of Wall Street.

Guy is a young film executive who's willing to do whatever it takes to make it in Hollywood. He begins working for famed producer Buddy Ackerman, a domineering, manipulative, coldhearted boss. When Guy also finds out that his cynical girlfriend, Dawn, has been using sex as a career move, he reaches his limit. Guy decides to exact revenge on Buddy by kidnapping him and subjecting him to cruel and unusual punishment. Swimming with Sharks is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 1h 33m runtime, released in 1994 with an average rating of 6.6 by 339 people. The movie made an estimated total of $382,928 in the box office.

After Hours examines a descent into chaos over the course of a single night, touching on themes of escalating risk and surreal misadventure that mirror the wild, unpredictable energy and consequences of excess found in The Wolf of Wall Street.

Desperate to escape his mind-numbing routine, uptown Manhattan office worker Paul Hackett ventures downtown for a hookup with a mystery woman. After Hours is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 1h 37m runtime, released in 1985 with an average rating of 7.5 by 1,787 people. The movie made an estimated total of $10,609,321 in the box office.

Nightcrawler follows a protagonist navigating the dark side of ambition in a high-pressure business, capturing similar themes of moral compromise and the relentless pursuit of success that drive The Wolf of Wall Street.

When Lou Bloom, desperate for work, muscles into the world of L.A. crime journalism, he blurs the line between observer and participant to become the star of his own story. Aiding him in his effort is Nina, a TV-news veteran. Nightcrawler is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 1h 58m runtime, released in 2014 with an average rating of 7.7 by 11,877 people. The movie made an estimated total of $47,425,835 in the box office.

American Psycho depicts a high-living professional whose outward success masks extreme behavior and moral decay, paralleling critique of superficial success and unchecked materialism found in The Wolf of Wall Street.

A wealthy New York investment banking executive hides his alternate psychopathic ego from his co-workers and friends as he escalates deeper into his illogical, gratuitous fantasies. American Psycho is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 1h 42m runtime, released in 2000 with an average rating of 7.4 by 12,485 people. The movie made an estimated total of $34,269,748 in the box office.

Owning Mahowny tells the story of a financial worker whose compulsive actions lead to large-scale fraud and ruin, reflecting the themes of addiction, deception, and professional downfall found in The Wolf of Wall Street.

Dan Mahowny was a rising star at the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce. At twenty-four he was assistant manager of a major branch in the heart of Toronto's financial district. To his colleagues he was a workaholic. To his customers, he was astute, decisive and helpful. To his friends, he was a quiet, but humorous man who enjoyed watching sports on television. To his girlfriend, he was shy but engaging. None of them knew the other side of Dan Mahowny--the side that executed the largest single-handed bank fraud in Canadian history, grossing over $10 million in eighteen months to feed his gambling obsession. Owning Mahowny is a movie from Canada in English, with a total 1h 44m runtime, released in 2003 with an average rating of 6.8 by 206 people. The movie made an estimated total of $1,271,244 in the box office.

Inside Man involves financial intrigue and law enforcement investigations into complex crimes, aligning with The Wolf of Wall Street’s depiction of the criminal justice system closing in on fraudulent business operations.

When an armed, masked gang enter a Manhattan bank, lock the doors and take hostages, the detective assigned to effect their release enters negotiations preoccupied with corruption charges he is facing. Inside Man is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 2h 9m runtime, released in 2006 with an average rating of 7.4 by 6,459 people. The movie made an estimated total of $186,003,591 in the box office.

The Nice Guys blends crime and comedy as its characters become embroiled in a far-reaching conspiracy, drawing on the mixture of humor, illicit business, and criminal investigation present in The Wolf of Wall Street.

A private eye investigates the apparent suicide of a fading porn star in 1970s Los Angeles and uncovers a conspiracy. The Nice Guys is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 1h 56m runtime, released in 2016 with an average rating of 7.1 by 8,784 people. The movie made an estimated total of $71,261,763 in the box office.

Matchstick Men delves into the world of grifters and cons, with protagonists navigating elaborate scams and the personal costs of their actions, akin to the criminal undertakings and flawed ambitions at the heart of The Wolf of Wall Street.

A phobic con artist and his protege are on the verge of pulling off a lucrative swindle when the con artist's teenage daughter arrives unexpectedly. Matchstick Men is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 1h 56m runtime, released in 2003 with an average rating of 7.0 by 2,016 people. The movie made an estimated total of $65,565,672 in the box office.

Carol, while not set in the business or crime world, explores the complexities of personal desire versus societal expectation, reflecting The Wolf of Wall Street’s focus on individuals struggling with identity and the pursuit of unconventional fulfillment.

In 1950s New York, a department-store clerk who dreams of a better life falls for an older, married woman. Carol is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 1h 58m runtime, released in 2015 with an average rating of 7.5 by 3,989 people. The movie made an estimated total of $40,272,135 in the box office.