Which movies about foundership & business do you recommend as the best?
Slowly but surely, the Christmas holidays are approaching, which usually means more time at home with family… and more movie binge-watching.
Yesterday I watched TV for the first time in a while, and they were playing Bezos: The Beginning (2023). A decent movie overall, even though it could’ve been longer or had a sequel.
But there are still many other inspiring movies about business and entrepreneurship that hit even harder, for example:
– The Social Network (2010)
– The Big Short (2015)
– Face to Face (Jobs vs. Gates) (2015) – a documentary from the French original Duels
Which movies about entrepreneurs have inspired you and are worth watching?
I’m sure the film industry has produced some real gems, and I would need some sort of inspiration/encouragement.
Replies
wolf of wall street hahah
minimalist phone: reduce your screentime
@kilopolki I watched this one 3 years ago for the very first time :D Liked it!
Ok here me out - I'm going to go for Its a Wonderful Life. That shows the real impact owning a business has warts and all. You've got George Bailey, inheriting a family business he doesn't want. He thinks his business is worthless but the payoff at the end is how he recognises how his business touches the lives of so many.
minimalist phone: reduce your screentime
@teldridgeldn This one? https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0038650/
It looks like an old classic.
@busmark_w_nika It is. Usually streamed over the Christmas holidays
minimalist phone: reduce your screentime
@teldridgeldn Okay, I need to watch it online because our TV doesn't offer such a program
minimalist phone: reduce your screentime
@ankur_jaiswal5 Men who built America – this sounds like topic I could be interested in, thank you, gonna google it!
Zawa (formerly X-Design)
Great thread, Nika.
Beyond the obvious classics like The Social Network, I’d recommend two less conventional picks that capture the real friction of building:
Moneyball (2011): It’s fundamentally about disrupting inertia and proving that a superior, non-obvious model can succeed despite budget constraints and institutional resistance. Pure product/market fit tenacity.
Timbuktu (2014) / (No, actually, go with Jiro Dreams of Sushi (2011)): A deep dive into mastery and uncompromising quality. It’s a powerful lesson in focusing ruthlessly on the core offering and turning craft into business philosophy.
Enjoy the binge!
minimalist phone: reduce your screentime
@tony_hsieh2 Thank you, Tony :D I will have sleepless nights :D
You could add WeCrashed (2022) to that list 👌
It’s not a movie but a short series, and it hits a bit differently than classic “success stories”. What I really liked is that it shows both sides of founders’ journeys:
ambition, charisma, vision — and ego, blind spots, governance failures, and the cost of hypergrowth.
It’s especially valuable if you’re building or scaling a business, because it’s less about “genius moments” and more about decision-making under pressure, culture, storytelling, and how momentum can quietly turn into risk.
If The Social Network is about creation and The Big Short is about systems breaking, WeCrashed is about what happens inside a fast-growing company when belief starts outrunning reality.
minimalist phone: reduce your screentime
@ivan_kobrynets WeCrashed – is that one about WeWork coworking? The Social Network and The Big Short are one of my faves. :)