If you love movies like The Founder about good old-fashioned entrepreneurial spirit then we’ve got plenty of hustle for you!
John Lee Hancock’s entertaining biopic The Founder tells the story of Ray Croc, a salesman who turns a small restaurant into the biggest burger franchise in the world. Michael Keaton is outstanding as the ambitious entrepreneur at the heart of the story.
The Founder is all about the pursuit of success and the following picks all show upward mobility – both legal and illegal – in action.
Here are some more great tips for movies like The Founder…
10 Business & Hustle Movies Like The Founder
1. Nightcrawler (2014)
An amoral chancer discovers that he can make money by selling footage of car crashes and other emergencies to TV networks, as long as he can beat the other nightcrawlers to the scene…
Dan Gilroy made a stylish debut with this noirish drama, starring Jake Gyllenhaal as the ghoulish go-getter whose ambition knows no bounds.
Movies like The Founder and Nightcrawler show that there are opportunities everywhere, so long as you keep your eyes open and can stay ahead of the competition. Nightcrawler is one of the best films of the 2010s.
2. Steve Jobs (2015)
It would be crazy to have a list of movies like The Founder without Steve Jobs, a riveting biopic of one of the biggest entrepreneurial figures of the past half-century.
Danny Boyle’s dynamic direction combines with Aaron Sorkin’s crackling screenplay to follow the Apple co-founder through a series of absorbing walk-and-talks. Michael Fassbender is magnetic as the problematic but charismatic visionary.
As with The Social Network, Sorkin’s intelligent and witty screenplay turns a talky movie about a tech nerd taking on the world into a must-see movie.
3. Jerry Maguire (1996)
Jerry Maguire is an ace sports agent who is fired after a very public crisis of conscience, and vows to make it to the top with his one remaining client…
Cameron Crowe’s feelgood romantic comedy was the film that finally coronated an Oscar-winning Tom Cruise as a serious actor, and it’s one of his best performances. Rene Zellweger and Cuba Gooding Jr offer excellent support.
Jerry Maguire is an enduring classic, and goes to show that romance also has a place in movies like The Founder.
4. Joy (2015)
Who knew that a movie about the inventor of a revolutionary mop could be so entertaining? David O. Russell sure did, and the director brings his offbeat style to this self-made tale.
Joy is lively, uneven and sparkles thanks to a tremendous central performance from Jennifer Lawrence, supported by a stellar cast including Robert De Niro, Bradley Cooper and Diane Ladd.
Movies like The Founder and Joy reassure us that there is a chance for anyone to become a millionaire if they have the gumption and courage to grab it.
5. Glengarry Glen Ross (1992)
An underperforming real estate firm is shaken up when head office sends in a ruthless corporate trainer to get results, forcing the salesman to resort to desperate measures…
James Foley’s adaptation of David Mamet’s Pulitzer prize-winning play has a dynamite script and a brilliant ensemble of Al Pacino, Jack Lemmon, Alec Baldwin and Co relishing every word of dialogue.
Glengarry Glen Ross is endlessly rewatchable thanks to the intense performances and Mamet’s stunning hard-nosed screenplay, revealing the darker side of getting ahead in the world.
6. Jiro Dreams of Sushi (2011)
Sometimes success is purely down to dedication and hard work, as shown in David Gelb’s documentary about Jiro Ono, the greatest living sushi chef.
Jiro has spent his whole life perfecting his craft, serving his elegant creations in his modest 10-seater eatery in a Tokyo subway station, the first sushi restaurant to receive three Michelin stars.
Gelb’s film is part inspiring documentary and part food porn, and the fastidious Jiro is a fascinating and admirable subject for this loving film.
7. The Wolf of Wall Street (2013)
An altogether less admirable real-life character now in Martin Scorsese’s indulgent biopic of Jordan Belfort, the penny stockbroker who took on Wall Street and made millions through his ruthless and corrupt practices.
It’s all about excess in this black comedy as Belfort and his crew get rich on a diet of drugs and hookers. Leonardo DiCaprio cranks up a huge performance in the lead role.
While some critics have argued that Scorsese glorifies the behaviour and lifestyle of these awful people, there’s no denying that The Wolf of Wall Street is a whole lot of movie, and the three-hour run time flies by.
8. Molly’s Game (2017)
Movies like The Founder don’t always need to stay on the right side of the law, so long as the protagonist shows plenty of entrepreneurial spirit.Â
Molly’s Game is another Aaron Sorkin joint, this time directing his own screenplay. It’s pacy and fascinating look at the true story of a woman who went from waitress to running a lucrative underground poker game.
Jessica Chastain dominates the movie with a steely performance and, while the film is perhaps less than the sum of its parts, it is still a fascinating watch.
9. The Hudsucker Proxy (1994)
NaĂŻve country boy Norville Barnes takes a job in the mailroom of Hudsucker industries and makes it all the way to the boardroom thanks to his simple invention. However, in business you can fall just as easily, and the drop is terrifying…
The Hudsucker Proxy is The Coen Brothers’ most under-appreciated film, bursting with zany energy and rapid-fire screwball dialogue. Tim Robbins is charming as Norville, matched by Jennifer Jason Leigh’s fast-talking reporter.
Sometimes it only takes a simple idea to make it in business, and movies like The Founder and The Hudsucker Proxy show how far you can go if you follow the dream.
10. Ghostbusters (1984)
Three parapsychologists set up business in New York City as the Ghostbusters. Just in time too, because a massive supernatural event is about to erupt…
Ivan Reitman’s ghostly comedy was a massive hit and remains a popular favourite almost 40 years later, thanks to great chemistry between the cast including Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd and Sigourney Weaver, and still-impressive special effects.
Ghostbusters rounds out my picks of movies like The Founder because it shows that when you’re chasing the American Dream, even the spirit world is a commodity…