15 Must-Watch Documentaries That Make Finance Fascinating
Beneath the surface of the financial world lies a mix of ambition and high stakes. It’s not all Wall Street jargon, as there are human stories worth watching. These documentaries uncover that layer to show how decisions in boardrooms affect everyday lives. Here’s a lineup of 15 finance-focused films that make complex topics surprisingly watchable.
Inside Job
Before things collapsed in 2008, a storm had been brewing. “Inside Job” goes behind the scenes of that chaos, exposing what most headlines skipped. Narrated with calm clarity by Matt Damon and filmed in financial hotspots like the U.S. and Iceland, it delivers earned insight.
More From The Penny Hoarder:Smarten Up, Americans. No Offense But Millions of Us Haven’t Used These Money Secrets
The China Hustle
Something’s off when a company no one’s heard of reports billions in profits. This documentary dives into how U.S. investors were fooled by shady Chinese firms hiding behind American stock tickers. Whistleblowers and raw truths collide here. The financial scandal is still unraveling.
Make money easier. Sign up for The Penny Hoarder’s newsletter today.
Enron: The Smartest Guys In The Room
Before it was a cautionary tale in textbooks, Enron was a Wall Street darling. The film shows the collapse in chilling detail. There’s real congressional footage and jaw-dropping arrogance. Sundance saw its debut, but millions saw what unchecked ambition can really cost.
More From The Penny Hoarder: How to Invest with AI: Tools and Tips for 2025
Dirty Money
“Dirty Money” doesn’t hold back. With stories that stretch from boardrooms to the Oval Office, the series shines a light on schemes that cheated the public for private gain. Investigative voices and gripping interviews drive home the reality behind these jaw-dropping frauds and financial cover-ups.
More From The Penny Hoarder: 50 Easy Ways You Could Make Extra Money This Month
Money Explained
Those monthly statements and fine-print fees aren’t confusing by accident. “Money Explained” calls it out and makes it clear. Through clever animation and celebrity narration, it breaks down how everyday finances really work. It’s like someone finally speaking the language money was supposed to be in.
More From The Penny Hoarder: 17 Make-Your-Own-Schedule Jobs You Can Do From Home
Becoming Warren Buffett
He could buy anything, yet he still drives himself to work and grabs breakfast at McDonald’s. This film is about Warren Buffett’s life, from his Nebraska roots to one of the world’s biggest fortunes. Rare home videos and quiet truths make this HBO documentary feel personal.
More From The Penny Hoarder: Here’s How to Get Cheap Auto Insurance Without Cutting Coverage
The Ascent Of Money
Hosted by historian Niall Ferguson, this award-winning series charts how money moved history, from ancient debt records to skyscraper finance. Renaissance power games, global collapse and Wall Street’s rise all collide in this sweeping, intimate timeline that shows finance is far more than numbers and stock markets.
More From The Penny Hoarder: Apps That Pay $100 a Day: 15 Apps That Pay Real Money
American Greed
The most convincing scams often come with a handshake and a business card. “American Greed” unpacks how they pulled it off. This series mixes storytelling and real-life accounts to show just how easy it is to sell a lie when it’s dressed well.
More From The Penny Hoarder: How to Choose a Credit Card That is Right For You
Capital In The Twenty-First Century
Inspired by Piketty’s groundbreaking book, the film shows how wealth has shifted hands and power. Mixing pop culture and old-world revolutions, it challenges assumptions. Festival crowds raved, and viewers were left rethinking what fairness in money really means.
More From The Penny Hoarder: Need Money Immediately? 6 Ways To Find Fast Cash
Banking On Bitcoin
Before crypto became a dinner table debate, it was an underground idea. This documentary captures the early chaos, trying to define digital money. The rise of Bitcoin and the Mt. Gox collapse all unfolded here. It’s part origin story, part revolution in the making.
More From The Penny Hoarder: The Top 0% Interest APR Credit Cards in 2025
The Warning
Sometimes, the smartest voice in the room is the one no one listens to. Brooksley Born, a regulator who saw the storm before the 2008 crash, raised flags that others ignored. PBS Frontline captured her battles with financial giants, revealing a look at what silence can cost.
More From The Penny Hoarder: 100+ Places That Will Give You Free Stuff on Your Birthday
Broke
For many pro athletes, the game ends long before the paycheck does. “Broke” dives into the stories behind the bankruptcy headlines, where fast money meets faster expectations. It’s a mix of tough lessons and financial missteps told straight from the locker rooms.
More From The Penny Hoarder: The Best Rewards Credit Cards to Maximize Your Spending in 2025
Panic: The Untold Story Of The 2008 Financial Crisis
Behind closed doors, leaders scrambled to stop a global collapse. This film lets viewers into those rooms with voices like Bush and Bernanke recounting decisions made in real time. Co-produced by Vice and HBO, it premiered a decade after the crash but still feels urgent and revealing.
More From The Penny Hoarder: How to Save Money on Groceries: 25 Tools and Tricks to Save $100 or More
The Inventor: Out For Blood In Silicon Valley
Theranos promised a healthcare revolution. What it delivered was a billion-dollar lie. Directed by Alex Gibney, the gripping film blends real footage and a slow-unfolding sense of betrayal. It feels like fiction, but every detail is shockingly real, from the labs to the lawsuits.
More From The Penny Hoarder: Our Picks for The Best High-Yield Savings Account for This Month
The Corporation
When companies are granted the same rights as people, something gets lost—conscience. “The Corporation” shows what that looks like in practice. Using real-life voices from inside and outside boardrooms, it exposes patterns of power and neglect. Critics didn’t just like it; they called it essential viewing.
More From The Penny Hoarder: Budgeting 101: How to Budget Money
