If you wish to become an entrepreneur, what’s your first need? Of course some motivation! inspirational business movies are one of the best motivations, right?! In this article, I have come up with some of the most inspiring films to watch. These movies are made for all entrepreneurs who want to touch greater heights. Let’s dive into the article and learn about these movies!
Table of Contents
Inspirational Business Movies
1. The Pursuit of Happyness
The first film on our top inspirational business films list is “The Pursuit of Happyness this is a film that every entrepreneur must see once in his or her lifetime because it imparts so many life lessons. Imagine it is you, and you are a single father with your son, fighting to find a job. Isn’t that tough? The Pursuit of Happyness: This is an inspiring real-life story about Chris Gardner who was a poor salesman and became homeless with his young son.
Gardner continues to struggle against all odds and obtains an unpaid internship at a high-profile brokerage firm. He is offered a chance to demonstrate his talent and receives what he deserves. This film demonstrates the strength of our lovely and resilient human soul, and definitely, this is one of the motivating films to watch to succeed in your life!
- Year of Release: 2006
- Theme: A biographical movie of Chris Gardner based on his struggle to build a career with homelessness.
- Movie Duration: 1h 57m
- IMDb Rating: 8.0/10
- Director: Gabriele Muccino
- Lead Role: Will Smith
2. Steve Jobs
I mean, we all know this guy, Steve Jobs, he is well known for his innovative mind and products he built by Apple. This film is practically a biography about Steve Jobs, who became the co-founder of Apple. It is one of the greatest motivating business movies which shows how the life of Steve Jobs was different from what you think as its one of the greatest businessman. It also delves into the darker traits of his life, personality and work habits, creating a balanced portrait of the revered and contentious man.
- Year of Release: 2015
- Theme: Documentary film about Steve Jobs’ life and legacy
- Movie Duration: 2h 8m
- IMDb Rating: 6.9/10
- Director: Alex Gibney
3. Soorarai Potru
Can you imagine the difficulty of a common man creating an airline company competing with the other major airlines? I couldn’t!! This Surarai Potru is one of the best inspirational business movies that tells us about the life story of Captain G.R. Gopinath, and his struggles behind the founding of India’s low-cost airline, Air Deccan. The film portrays the hero Nedumarana Rajangam, better known as Mara, and his relentless efforts to make air travel accessible to every common man in India. It is a story of destiny, love, and the power of dreams that challenges the status!
- Year of Release: 2020
- Theme: An entrepreneur facing struggles to create his own airline and make people fly at affordable costs in India
- Movie Duration: 2h 33m
- IMDb Rating: 8.7/10
- Director: Sudha Kongara
- Lead Role: Suriya
4. The Founder
I’m sure most of us know McDonald’s and have tasted the hamburgers and French fries, yes? But, we are unaware of its founder Ray Kroc, the salesman who turned McDonald’s from a single restaurant into a global entity. It is one of the most inspirational business movies that highlights Kroc’s ambition, consistency, and ruthlessness as he buys McDonald’s from the McDonald brothers and turns it into a global phenomenon. I suggest this movie as it is one of the most inspiring films to watch to make your business ideas global!
- Year of Release: 2016
- Theme: The life of Ray Kroc and his business strategies in the expansion of McDonald’s
- Movie Duration: 1h 55m
- IMDb Rating: 7.2/10
- Director: John Lee Hancock
- Lead Role: Michael Keaton
5. Moneyball
Moneyball is one of the most inspirational business movies that highlight the importance of innovation, budgets, analysis, etc in gathering a team. The movie is about Oakland A baseball team manager Billy Bean who assembles a competitive team despite limited budgets. This also applies to business owners when they recruit a team to perform a specific task. The film also highlights Bean’s innovative approach to team building that changed the game and highlighted the way how undervalued players made success.
- Year of Release: 2011
- Theme: Sports drama based on the true story of Billy Beane and his attempt to assemble a competitive baseball team
- Movie Duration: 2h 13m
- IMDb Rating: 7.6/10
- Director: Bennett Miller
- Lead Role: Brad Pitt
6. Startup. Com
Startup. com is a perfect movie for those who are about to start a company. It is a movie about the rise and fall of govWorks.com, a startup company founded by Kaleil Isaza Tuzman and Tom Herman. The film captures the initial development of the dot-com bubble and the harsh reality of its breakup. The movie then tells us the entrepreneurs’ journeys as they enter the world of online startups, and focuses on the challenges of balancing friendship and professionalism to make the company grow. It is one of the most inspiring films to watch so that you will get to know how to understand people around you to make a successful business.
- Year of Release: 2001
- Theme: Struggles faced by two entrepreneurs in creating a startup.
- Movie Duration: 2h 13m
- IMDb Rating: 7.1/10
- Director: Chris Hegedus
- Lead Role: Kaleil Isaza Tuzman
7. The Social Network
What do you think of when I say “The social network”? Facebook?! Of course! Mark Zuckerberg the creator of the social networking site, Facebook. I also need to make sure that my work needs to be done so I try to balance it out and If can, I would also try to help my friends. The movie also highlights a few bittersweet realities of life and people, teaches us the importance of camaraderie, the hurt of treachery and the struggles one goes through to build a successful enterprise.
- Year of Release: 2010
- Theme: Inspirational story of Mark Zuckerberg about the founding of Facebook.
- Movie Duration: 2h
- IMDbRating: 7.8/10
- Director: David Fincher
- Lead Role: Jesse Eisenberg
8. Ford vs Ferrari
Ford and Ferrari had a racing rivalry in the 1950s and 1960s, remember? Most likely, none of us don’t, because it was so early. This is a film that is genuinely about real-life American car designer Carol Shelby and race car driver Ken Miles, who worked together to create a game-changing race car so that Ford could defeat Ferrari. Ford race teams set their sights on taking the Ferrari at the 1966 24 Hours of Le Mans. We watch their fight against corporate interference, their own demons, etc which any another entrepreneur would face in his/her life.
- Year of Release: 2019
- Theme: A rivalry between the two greatest entrepreneurs Ford and Ferrari.
- Movie Duration: 2h 32m
- IMDb Rating: 8.1/10
- Director: James Mangold
- Lead Role: Matt Damon (as Carroll Shelby) and Christian Bale (as Ken Miles)
9. Wall Street
We all know that “Wall Street” is a street in New York City. It is not just one, but a place where financial markets thrive and economic power peaks. The financial crisis of 2007–2008, which led to a global recession, was due to the Wall Street effect. The crisis exposed the risks of financial products in risk leading to fundamental reforms in the economy. It is one of the most inspirational business movies that people who are into the stock market. It teaches what to do and what not with the deliberate story.
- Year of Release: 1987
- Theme: A movie about a young stockbroker’s involvement with a greedy corporate raider
- Movie Duration: 2h 6m
- IMDb Rating: 7.3/10
- Director: Oliver Stone
- Lead Role: Charlie Sheen (as Bud Fox) and Michael Douglas (as Gordon Gekko)
10. Pad Man
Pad man Arunachalam is an inspirational biography of Murugantam, a social entrepreneur who invented an inexpensive sanitary napkin for women. The film beautifully portrayed its journey to become a social entrepreneur despite facing social and cultural opposition to women in the life of rural India. It is one of the most inspiring business films that explain the importance of fighting innovation, perseverance and social stigma to be successful in life. It is a film for all entrepreneurs to understand how they increased women’s menstrual hygiene and also became a successful entrepreneur.
- Year of Release: 2018
- Theme: An inspirational life story of the entrepreneur Arunachalam Muruganantham, who created a low-cost sanitary pad machine in India
- Movie Duration: 2h 20m
- IMDb Rating: 7.9/10
- Director: R. Balki
- Lead Role: Akshay Kumar (as Lakshmikant Chauhan)
11. Walt Before Mickey
Prior to Mikki, Walt is an excellent biography film that depicts the early years of Walt Disney before the creation of his prestigious character, Mickey Mouse. This is one of the most inspiring commercial films, which makes us realize how Disney’s visit was inspired to establish his first Animation Studio, Laugh-O-Gram Studio in Missouri since childhood. Despite encocking and faced with many failures, Disney’s tireless creativity and vision led to the establishment of the Walt Disney Company. The film depicts Disney’s struggle and victory, and inspiration for Abhinav Mickey Mouse, providing a lesson to all entrepreneurs!
- Year of Release: 2015
- Theme: A movie about Walt Disney’s early career and his inspirational life journey
- Movie Duration: 1h 47m
- IMDb Rating: 5.9/10
- Director: Khoa Le
- Lead Role: Thomas Ian Nicholas (as Walt Disney)
12. The Call of the Entrepreneur
“Call of the Entrepreneur” tells us the life stories of a refugee from three diverse entrepreneurs, a Michigan dairy farmer, a New York merchant banker and communist China. The film examines unique challenges in her life in the journey to become entrepreneurs. It is one of the most inspiring business films that reflect the spirit of entrepreneurship and its impact on society. In addition, the film throws light on how individuals can overcome all the obstacles of life and create profit and wealth.
- Year of Release: 2007
- Theme: An inspiring movie about the life stories of three entrepreneurs
- Movie Duration: 58m
- IMDb Rating: 7.1/10
- Director: Simon Scionka
13. The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind
If you want to become an entrepreneur, the most important factor you need to succeed is “Innovation.” The boy who exploited the wind, will portray the story of William Kamakwamba, a Malavian teenager who builds a windmill to protect his village from starvation. You will not believe it, but he uses knowledge using scrap materials and books, which is to make a wisdom for electricity.
- Year of Release: 2019
- Theme: A motivational movie about a boy in Malawi who builds a wind turbine
- Movie Duration: 1h 53m
- IMDb Rating: 7.6/10
- Director: Chiwetel Ejiofor
- Lead Role: Maxwell Simba
14. 14 Peaks: Nothing Is Impossible
If you feel that your step of becoming an entrepreneur is impossible, then you need to watch this film. 14 peaks: Nothing is impossible, the story of Nepali climber Nirmal Purja and his crazy attempt to reach all 8,000 meters high peaks in the world in just seven months. What makes this film important for entrepreneurs, it is fearless, determination, which makes businesses successful. The film is about to face physical challenges, but an entrepreneur must be able to overcome both physical and mental challenges to make history.
- Year of Release: 2021
- Theme: A motivational life story of Nirmal Purja and his adventurous trips to all the world’s 8,000-meter peaks
- Movie Duration: 1h 41m
- IMDb Rating: 7.7/10
- Director: Torquil Jones
- Lead Role: Nirmal Purja
15. Becoming
Becoming is Michelle Obama’s biographical movie that tells the life story and her journey from a working-class neighborhood in Chicago to the White House. The movie gives an in-depth look into her life, her role as first lady, and her efforts to create positive change. The movie reflects on the experiences that shaped her, from her education to her marriage to Barack Obama and her time in the public eye. It is one of the most inspirational business movies that every woman entrepreneur must watch to keep up the spirit and touch greater heights.
- Year of Release: 2020
- Theme: Lifestory of Michelle Obama
- Movie Duration: 1h 29m
- IMDb Rating: 4.8/10
- Director: Nadia Hallgren
- Lead Role: Michelle Obama
16. Darkest Hour
The best quality of an entrepreneur has the ability to decide in significant and difficult times. agree? If you want to become an entrepreneur, then developing the quality of decision making is the first step. Darkest Hour is one of the most inspiring business films that depict Winston Churchill as Prime Minister during World War II and his early days.
The film focuses on Churchill’s struggle for Britain against Nazi Germany, in which he faced political opposition, and with an attack with Europe. Churchill must decide whether to talk to Hitler or stand firmly with the principles of freedom and freedom. The film also shows the strong spirit of Churchill, as it gives the iconic “We Will Fight on the Beach” speech, which is one of the best qualities that an entrepreneur should also have!
- Year of Release: 2017
- Theme: A movie about Winston Churchill as Prime minister and his crucial decision-making during World War II
- Movie Duration: 2h 5m
- IMDb Rating: 7.4/10
- Director: Joe Wright
- Lead Role: Gary Oldman (as Winston Churchill)
17. Something Ventured
One of the most inspiring commercial films that investigates the birth of American enterprise capitalism in the mid -20th century. This visionary enterprise tells the stories of the capitalists, who worked with innovators to manufacture companies such as Apple, Intel and Cisco. The risks and awards are also emphasized by laying groundwork and adopting technological development for modern start-ups, which should be able to adapt to entrepreneurs.
- Year of Release: 2011
- Theme: Documentary on the emergence of American venture capitalism
- Movie Duration: 1h 24m
- IMDb Rating: 7.0/10
- Directors: Daniel Geller, Dayna Goldfine
- Lead Role: Documentary featuring various venture capitalists
18. Pirates of Silicon Valley
Pirates of Silicon Valley is again a biographical movie that tells the story of the booming tech industry with humor, focusing on the founders of Apple and Microsoft. It shows their college struggles, the startups of their companies, and the careers that built two of the world’s biggest tech empires. It is one of the most inspirational business movies for all entrepreneurs as the film offers an overview of the personal and business challenges of great personalities like Steve Jobs and Bill Gates.
- Year of Release: 1999
- Theme: Biographical drama about the rivalry between Steve Jobs and Bill Gates
- Movie Duration: 1h 35m
- IMDb Rating: 7.2/10
- Director: Martyn Burke
- Lead Roles: Noah Wyle (as Steve Jobs), Anthony Michael Hall (as Bill Gates)
19. Shirley
Shirley is an inspirational life story of Shirley Chisholm, the first black congresswoman and presidential candidate. The film shows her campaign in 1972, showing his determination and challenges including opposition within his party. Despite the obstacles, Chisholm’s unwavering commitment to her goals and her role as a symbol of hope and change are emphasized throughout the film. The unique qualities of Shirley set an example for all the entrepreneurs in order to create a business empire.
- Year of Release: 2024
- Theme: A Biographical film on Shirley Chisholm’s 1972 presidential campaign
- Movie Duration: 2h 17m
- IMDb Rating: 6.2/10
- Director: John Ridley
- Lead Role: Regina King
20. Shawshank Redemption
Apart from innovation, and motivation, what else is needed for an entrepreneur? I would say consistency! And I’m sure there’s no other movie in this world that can explain consistency and hard work better than Shawshank Redemption! This movie is the one which talks about hope and resilience. The best part about this film is that it highlights themes of friendship, loyalty, and the enduring human spirit to succeed in their goals in life.
- Year of Release: 1994
- Theme: An inspiring life story of a banker in prison and his eventual redemption
- Movie Duration: 2h 22m
- IMDb Rating: 9.3/10
- Director: Frank Darabont
- Lead Roles: Tim Robbins
