5 movies you should watch if you liked Mountainhead

If Mountainhead felt like watching the world burn from the comfort of a gold-plated panic room, you’re probably still reeling from its blend of tech-bro ego, apocalyptic dread, and deeply awkward male bonding. Jesse Armstrong’s latest descent into the minds of the rich and brilliant gave us four billionaires playing philosopher-king while society outside crumbles under the weight of their own inventions.

So if you’re craving more tales of power gone sour, unchecked egos in expensive jackets, and satire that slices deeper than a Silicon Valley pitch deck, here are five films that are pretty similar to everything shown in Mountainhead.

The Big Short (2015)

The Big Short, directed by Adam McKay, is what happens when economic collapse meets rockstar-level charisma. Based on Michael Lewis’ book, it follows a ragtag bunch of outsiders- traders, analysts, and one barefoot hedge fund manager- who saw the 2008 housing crisis coming while the rest of the financial world was busy counting its imaginary money. What makes this film electric is how it turns incomprehensible Wall Street jargon into a rollercoaster of rage and revelation. McKay doesn’t just break the fourth wall- he obliterates it, throwing in celebrity cameos and bathtub explanations to ensure you understand the absurdity unfolding.

Much like Mountainhead, The Big Short paints a portrait of modern capitalism, exposing how systems built by the elite crumble under their own weight and how the fallout always lands on the people below. The film is funny, horrifying, and infuriating all at once, which is exactly what makes it an essential viewing. If you loved watching entitled geniuses spiral toward ruin in Mountainhead, The Big Short will deliver that same delicious chaos, but with mortgage-backed securities and a lot more yelling. Also, this one stars Steve Carell, so that's another point in terms of similarities.

Dumb Money (2022)

If Mountainhead gave you a taste of unchecked tech ambition and the eerie loneliness of power, Dumb Money flips the coin and hands it to the people. This is the story of what happens when the internet bands together, grabs a slingshot, and aims straight at Wall Street’s Goliaths. Directed by Craig Gillespie, Dumb Money chronicles the real-life 2021 GameStop saga, where a bunch of Reddit users took on hedge funds with nothing but memes, moral outrage, and stock apps.

It’s not just a finance flick. It’s a riot of internet culture, generational angst, and the simmering rage of everyone who’s ever been priced out of the system. With a cast stacked with Pete Davidson, America Ferrera, Seth Rogen, and Shailene Woodley, this film moves fast, talks loud, and leaves you both laughing and fired up.

If Mountainhead made you wonder how billionaires sleep at night, Dumb Money answers it with a resounding: “Not great.” It’s the people’s version of the modern capitalist horror story, and it wears its hoodie with pride. This is financial anarchy. Unfiltered, slightly chaotic, and wildly entertaining.

The Founder (2016)

If Mountainhead left you chewing on the eerie consequences of ambition dressed in silicon dreams, the founder serves a similar moral sandwich, only this one comes with extra pickles and a side of capitalism. Directed by John Lee Hancock, the film follows Ray Kroc, played by Michael Keaton, the man who didn’t just sell burgers but repackaged the American dream and franchised it worldwide.

This isn’t a feel-good biopic. It’s the unsettling rise of a milkshake machine salesman who discovers a small-time burger joint run by the McDonald's brothers and then slowly, ruthlessly, takes it all. Keaton plays Kroc like a man possessed by possibility, turning charm into coercion and opportunity into ownership. The tension simmers as you watch a brand become a global empire at the cost of the very people who built it.

Where Mountainhead unpacks the psychological weight of success and innovation, The Founder roots that same hunger in historical reality. It’s a masterclass in manipulation and the quiet horror of winning at any cost.

Too Big To Fail (2011)

If Mountainhead had you hooked on the tension of power crumbling, Too Big To Fail takes you straight into the chaotic heart of the 2008 financial meltdown. This HBO gem pulls no punches, showing the high-stakes game played by Wall Street giants and government bigwigs trying to stop a total collapse of the economy.

Based on Andrew Ross Sorkin’s insider book, the film drops you in the middle of the panic, where the fate of millions balances on the decisions of a few men in suits. It’s less about the numbers and more about human drama, ego clashes, moral dilemmas, and the desperate scramble to save a system that’s spiraling out of control.

Like Mountainhead, it explores how greed, fear, and broken trust can shake the very foundations of society. Too Big To Fail isn’t just a financial thriller; it’s a brutal, real-world reminder of how the powerful can push the world to the edge and how close we came to falling off.

Billionaire Boys Club (2018)

If you dug the ruthless hustle and messy glam of Mountainhead, Billionaire Boys Club is your next fix. It’s basically the ultimate cautionary tale about when privilege meets pure reckless ambition. This movie throws you right into the chaotic world of a group of rich kids living large, chasing money like it’s oxygen, but spoiler, it all goes sideways real fast. The film doesn’t just glamorize their wild lifestyle; it peels back the glitz to show the dark cracks beneath the gold chains and designer clothes.

Watching their friendships unravel like cheap threads, you feel the tension simmering under every smile and handshake. Everyone’s got secrets, and betrayal is just waiting to crash the party. The movie drips with this raw energy, where excess isn’t just a vibe; it’s a ticking time bomb.

The actors bring this blend of charm and menace, making you root for them and want to yell at them in the same breath. If you’re into stories about the American dream getting flipped upside down, full of greed, glamor, and the kind of mistakes that leave you shook, Billionaire Boys Club is a wild ride you don’t wanna miss.

Mountainhead is available to stream on HBO and MAX.