Just to show that Fletch isn’t all work and no play, I decided to put aside my looking for the oddest thing I ever financed (that’s still to come though) and talk about movies. But because this is “The Lease Guy” blog, this will be my top 5 movies that have a financial component to them.
Now, I’ll be the first to admit that I will have to stray from my usual âequipment finance theme, because equipment financing doesn’t make for a great movie trust me, I know. I work in equipment financing everyday, and there are very few shady characters, heart wrenching dramas, or opportunities for fiery car chases. Unless you count 2003’s break-room incident, of which I will speak no further.
So…
With that, here are my top 5 movies with some type of financial component:
#5 -“ Boiler Room”
Giovanni Ribisi and Vin Diesel star in this surprisingly good story of a faux brokerage house selling phony stock. Ben Affleck makes a memorable one-scene appearance where he pre-qualifies a roomful of trainee wannabees with an expletive-filled tirade.
#4 – “Trading Places”
Believe it or not, there WAS a time when Eddie Murphy and Dan Akroyd were funny. And this tale of a stockbroker and street bum being manipulated to trade places is easily their best pairing. And out there as it seems, I’m told by brokers that the whole stock market scene at the end is quite authentic.
#3 -“ Repo Man”
I mentioned this movie in passing in another post, because it’s really a neat little movie that sticks in your head. I guess a film about 2 repo men (Harry Dean Stanton and Emilio Estevez) isn’t odd enough, so they throw an alien in the trunk of a car to spice things up. Just a lot of fun, and Stanton is always a pleasure to watch.
#2 – “Wall Street”
This has to be high on anyone’s list of financial movies. Just the quintessential 80’s greed and excess movie. Spawned the catchphrase “Greed is Good”, and gave us one of Hollywood’s most memorable characters in Gordon Gekko (brilliantly played by Michael Douglas.) Father and son team of Martin and Charlie Sheen also shine quite brightly. And again, I’m told the stock market talk is very true to life.
#1 – “ Glengarry Glen Ross”
The inner workings of a real estate office (that essentially sells investment properties) and the downtrodden agents who work there are explored in this exceptional film. It sounds like a boring premise, but I assure you it is not. This movie also features one of the greatest casts ever assembled: Jack Lemmon, Al Pachino, Alan Arkin, Ed Harris, Kevin Spacey, and Alec Baldwin, whose one scene is beyond memorable. Just a great movie.
I’m sure most of you have seen at least a few of these movies, but if there are any on the list that you have missed, well, they come with the Lease Guy’s recommendation. Happy viewing!!