Hollywood’s top films about the ultra-rich
Hollywood has made movies about almost every topic, but one the industry loves and keeps returning to is films about the ultra-wealthy. Whether they are presented positively or negatively, the audience seems to love them. So, what are some examples of top Hollywood movies about the ultra-rich?
The Wolf of Wall Street
This movie is one of the biggest and most popular to come out in the past few decades. It makes some interesting choices in how it portrays the ultra-rich. For a large chunk of the film, we see the main cast living incredibly luxuriously, with pure hedonism in mind. Then it all comes crashing down, and the protagonist is busted and loses almost everything. This movie tends to split audiences in this depiction.
Some feel that the pure excess and hedonism shown by the characters is idyllic, something of a goal for people to strive for. This is easy to take away, as it is shot and edited in such a way that makes all the experiences look very exciting.
Plenty of other viewers view this as more of a cautionary tale, showing how such a lifestyle can lead to nothing but self-destructive behaviour and sorrow. This, in my opinion, feels more akin to what the director had in mind.
American Psycho
American Psycho is a classic piece of cinema, telling the tale of Patrick Bateman’s descent into madness and delusion. This movie is less subjective as to its themes. Instead of showing hours of fun hedonistic behaviour, it focuses on darker themes, largely relating to the idea that the corporate world corrupts absolutely, and even people who seem like they’re at the top are crumbling somewhere else.
Although the themes are presented in a more black and white way, they are still very visually interpretable. Throughout the film, particularly in its second and third acts, it becomes increasingly difficult to discern whether events are truly occurring or merely projections of Patrick’s imagination.
Saltburn
Perhaps not as high-brow as other movies on this list, this film still made a big cultural impact, especially the infamous bathtub scene. This movie makes an interesting depiction of extreme wealth. It includes many different characters within the massively rich family, each with a different personality. For example, Felix is a well-meaning, naive character who doesn’t quite understand the level of his wealth, whereas his father is more of the stern oligarchal character.
This is also a very interesting film in a visual nature; the entire movie is presented in a 4:3 aspect ratio, which may seem like an odd choice to begin with, but soon becomes clear that the decision was made to create a sense of voyeurism for the viewer. Instead of being fully engaged with the characters we are seeing, it feels more like we’re peering into something that perhaps we aren’t meant to see. This furthers the theme of Saltburn and the ultra-rich in general as something elusive and to be hidden.
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The Big Short
Perhaps a lesser-known title, this film still provides an interesting depiction of wealth. The Big Short is about a group of traders taking advantage of the 2008 housing crisis in America. As this movie is predominantly set in and around rich people, we get to see a wide variety represented. For example, Max Greenwood’s naivety and maximum profit-oriented mindset juxtaposes Steve Carell’s character, which is internally conflicted with the fact that they’ve made an unthinkable amount of money off of the financial ruin of many in the US.
This more technical look at the growth of wealth when it’s at the expense of others creates a very interesting watch, as we see these characters navigate a very tricky landscape. The viewer can also make their own conclusions about the events in the film.
Anora
Anora may be one that people would be surprised to see on a list of movies about the ultra-rich, but wealth plays a big part in this movie.
For those who don’t know, the plot of this movie follows the character Anora as she meets the son of a Russian oligarch through the strip club she performs at. After he proposes, it seems like she has a chance to make a real change in her life.
Unfortunately, it doesn’t work out, but the journey the viewer is taken on explores many different themes, such as patriarchal oppression and the over-sexualisation of young women in the sex industry. This is all expertly done with the viewer made to feel like they are on this ride with Anora, being let down at every twist and turn along with her.
Regarding its representation of the ultra-rich, it takes a rather elusive approach, with the oligarchs only showing up very briefly, being very secretive and blunt. This is contrasted by Vanya being more of a typical hedonist, as he spends his time drinking to excess, partying and doing drugs.
Conclusion
Wealth is represented in many different ways in cinema; this can be a very interesting and engaging topic to explore in a visual setting. From hedonism to elusive behaviour, it is informative to explore this idea and how it can be presented.
The editorial unit
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