Wall Street (1987)
Kernel Score: 80% · 2,209 ratings · Rated R
Genres: Crime, Drama
Released: 1987-12-10
Runtime: 126 minutes
Is Wall Street worth watching?
Worth watching. A sharp 1980s drama about a young broker pulled into insider trading by a charismatic raider. Michael Douglas's Gordon Gekko still steals it, and the greed message holds up even if the plot is familiar.
Watch it if you
- like finance and corporate drama
- enjoy charismatic villains
- want a classic 80s cautionary tale
Skip it if you
- dislike jargon-heavy business talk
- want modern, fast pacing
Best for: Date night in
Fresh Kernels verdict, AI-assisted from our scores, audience reviews and the official rating.
Where to watch Wall Street
- Free with ads: Philo
- Rent: Prime Video, Apple TV, Google Play, YouTube
- Buy: Prime Video, Apple TV, Google Play, YouTube
US availability, updated 2026-10-22.
Overview
A young and impatient stockbroker is willing to do anything to get to the top, including trading on illegal inside information taken through a ruthless and greedy corporate raider, whom takes the youth under his wing.
Wall Street parents' guide: ages 15+
Parents need to know that Wall Street is an R-rated drama about a young stockbroker corrupted by greed and illegal insider trading.
- Language: Moderate — Rated R with strong language typical of the 1980s Wall Street setting.
- Drinking, drugs & smoking: Some — Depicts the excess lifestyle of 1980s high finance which reviewers note includes greed-driven indulgence.
Fresh Kernels AI-assessed from the official R rating, publicly documented content. A guide for families, not an official rating.
Movies like Wall Street
If you liked Wall Street, these are the movies we'd watch next.
- The Wolf of Wall Street (2013) — 95%: Excess and greed in finance, wilder and funnier.
- The Big Short (2015) — 83%: Finance drama about a crisis built on greed.
- American Psycho (2000) — 89%: Dark satire of 80s Wall Street excess.
- Inside Job (2010) — 87%: Documentary view of the greed behind the crash.
- Trading Places (1983) — 80%: Comedy about Wall Street and the rich.
- Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room (2005) — 80%: The real story of corporate greed and collapse.
Director
Cast
- Michael Douglas as Gordon Gekko
- Charlie Sheen as Bud Fox
- Martin Sheen as Carl Fox
- Daryl Hannah as Darien Taylor
- John C. McGinley as Marvin
- Hal Holbrook as Lou Mannheim
- Sean Young as Kate Gekko
- Terence Stamp as Sir Larry Wildman
- James Spader as Roger Barnes
- Lauren Tom as Lady Broker
Wall Street FAQ
Is Wall Street worth watching?
Worth watching. A sharp 1980s drama about a young broker pulled into insider trading by a charismatic raider. Michael Douglas's Gordon Gekko still steals it, and the greed message holds up even if the plot is familiar.
Where can I watch Wall Street?
In the US you can watch it free with ads on Philo and rent it from Prime Video, Apple TV, Google Play and YouTube.
Is Wall Street OK for kids?
Wall Street is rated R. Fresh Kernels suggests ages 15+. Parents need to know that Wall Street is an R-rated drama about a young stockbroker corrupted by greed and illegal insider trading.
What movies are like Wall Street?
If you liked Wall Street, try The Wolf of Wall Street, The Big Short, American Psycho and Inside Job.