Full Editorial
You’d be forgiven if you thought that watching movies was a waste of time when trying to run a business, but it’s important to relax and few things can help as much as viewing a film. Enjoying a motion picture can also be very instructive for those who keep an open mind, as these eight business movies show. If you have an entrepreneurial spirit, consider watching any or all of these eight movies to hone in on your business sense.
1. eXistenZ – 1999
Though it’s perhaps best known for the unusual way its name is written, eXistenZ stars Jennifer Jason Leigh and William Defoe in roles that should be quite familiar to anyone doing business in a high-tech environment. It’s a classic movie comeback story with an unusual twist, where it turns out that everything that happens to the main characters is going on inside of a game run by a major software company.
2. Tucker – 1988
Often called one of the best business films ever made, Tucker is the true story of a man who dared to challenge the auto industry head-on when he set out to make a car that could compete with Detroit’s finest. See it for the famous Jeff Bridges speech about small business owners if nothing else.
3. Trading Places – 1983
Anyone who would like to own their own franchise operation should look into this classic comedy. Eddie Murphy and Dan Aykroyd team up when they become part of a madcap business experiment that turns into a wide-reaching social satire that comments on many aspects of modern economics.
4. Antitrust – 2001
Most entrepreneurs are going to go through a period when they feel like they can’t compete against the major players in their space. Tim Robbins’ character in Antitrust represents many of their concerns, so they’ll certainly get a sense of satisfaction seeing his high-tech empire crumble when the forces of justice learn about what’s really been going on inside of it.
5. The Hudsucker Proxy – 1994
Tim Robbins is on the other side of the business fence in this Wall Street-themed comedy, which sees him cast as the head of a struggling firm that’s desperately searching for a product to bring to market.
6. The Thirteenth Floor – 1999
Struggling business representatives will certainly identify with Vincent D’Onofrio’s character in this cyberpunk thriller, which explores the question of how virtual reality is impacting various industries.
7. Glengarry Glen Ross – 1992
Alec Baldwin, Alan Arkin, and Ed Harris put on a powerful demonstration of some of the more uncomfortable aspects of the business environment in this off-beat real estate-themed film. It’s sure to make even the most dedicated entrepreneurs ask some questions about the direction they’re moving in and whether they’re doing the right thing. Ironically, it’s also one of the most parodied films of its time as well.
8. The Great Outdoors – 1988
If you still think that relaxing is a waste of time when running a business, then you’ll need to watch this film where John Candy has to teach an eccentric business representative how to relax with his family.
