Today we explore the world of entrepreneurs as we take a look at 11 best business documentaries on Netflix Instant in 2015.
These movies focus on some of the most influential people and businesses on the planet. The secrets of success in modern business are presented and, for the most part, we knew them all along. Hard work, dedication, and a touch of luck are often all you need in order to have one of these business documentaries made about you. The stories about the masterminds behind some of the largest business empires are fascinating and never fail to capture our attention. They show us how they think and how they deal with the inevitable crisis that occur on almost daily basis in their professional (and sometimes even personal) lives. In this aspect, these films are similar to the best biographical documentaries on Netflix. Among these business documentaries you can catch on Netflix, there are also tales of ordinary men who managed to rise above their humble beginnings and achieve success beyond their wildest dreams.
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But it’s not always about those things. Sometimes, there are darker paths people take on the road to fame and fortune and we get to see those as well. The lengths people are ready to go just in order to make a profit if left unchecked have been lamented as one of the biggest flaws of the corporate world we live in. We get to see these practices in full color. Perhaps something can be learned from these documentaries and similar mistakes can be avoided in the future.
To rank the best business documentaries on Netflix instant in 2015, we had to devise a system. Going simply by IMDb rating just wouldn’t cut it, although we did include it in our final ranking. We also went over a dozen lists on most popular sites in order to get an accurate feel on public opinion. We mixed it all together and came up with a genuine Insider Monkey ranking. Let’s see who made it to our list of the 11 best business documentaries on Netflix instant in 2015.
11. Hank: 5 Years from the Brink
Site rank 2, IMDb rank 4; Overall Score = 6
Directed by Joe Berlinger
Despite having serious moral qualms about the origin of 2008 financial crisis and its perpetrators, Henry “Hank” Paulson did his best to save the US economy from a complete collapse. The crisis that sent a fiscal hurricane across the planet, threatening to swallow the global economy, was curbed by his efforts and success in persuading the government and presidential candidates to sign off on until then an unheard of $1 trillion relief package that succeeded into bringing down the crisis to manageable levels. Paulson’s previous experience as the CEO of Goldman Sachs was instrumental in achieving this.
10. The Restaurateur
Site rank 1, IMDb rank 7; Overall Score = 8
Directed by Roger M. Sherman
Danny Meyer is a legend among his fellow restaurateurs. We get a chance to take a peek behind the curtain and see what it takes to create some of the finest New York restaurants from scratch. The story follows Danny as he builds and opens Eleven Madison Park and Tabla, two of his most famous restaurants. For eleven months, he struggles with construction crews, city regulations, and staffing. In the end, both restaurants prove to be successes, illustrating Meyer’s skills and knowledge. The film won Best Food Documentary at the Sonoma Film Festival.
9. Freakonomics
Site rank 6, IMDb rank 2; Overall Score = 8
Directed by Heidi Ewing, Alex Gibney, Seth Gordon, Rachel Grady, Eugene Jarecki, and Morgan Spurlock
Based on the bestselling book with the same title by economist Steven D. Levitt and writer Stephen J. Dubner, Freakonomics is a collection of several documentaries that challenge our understanding of how the economy works. It reveals that some of the most entrenched beliefs are in fact nothing more than myths. The film explores some interesting ideas, like whether can we increase the success rate of struggling students if we offer them monetary rewards or how Roe v. Wade affected crime rates in US cities. It is fascinating to see how seemingly completely unrelated events can affect each other.
8. Burt’s Buzz
Site rank 3, IMDb rank 5; Overall Score = 8
Directed by Jody Shapiro
Burt’s Buzz tells us a story of Burt Shavitz; the company he co-founded in 1984, Burt’s Bees; and how it went from its humble beginnings in an abandoned one-room school building, rented from a friend for $150 a year, to the company that was eventually sold to Clorox in 2007 for more than $900 million. Despite fame and fortune and his status as a celebrity among beekeepers and his customers, Burt remained somewhat a recluse. He summed up his philosophy in one sentence: “A good day is when no one shows up and you don’t have to go anywhere.” Burt died in 2015 in Maine, where he lived out his final year alone on a 57-acre farm.
7. Objectified
Site rank 5, IMDb rank 8; Overall Score = 13
Directed by Gary Hustwit
A part of the Design Trilogy, Hustwit’s film explores how people who design things we use every day affect our lives. It offers incredible insight into the world of industrial design and the people who work in this field.
6. Joan Rivers: A Piece of Work
Site rank 4, IMDb rank 9; Overall Score = 13
Directed by Ricki Stern and Anne Sundberg
Joan Rivers, the icon of American comedy scene, died in 2014. What she left behind is a legacy of a woman with a legendary work ethic and 50+ year career who fought tooth and nail to succeed in a man’s world. Ricki Stern and Anne Sundberg follow Rivers for fourteen months and show us what kind of sacrifice it takes for such a success. The film won Best Editing at Sundance in 2010.
5. Inside: Lego
Site rank 10, IMDb rank 3; Overall Score = 13
Directed by David Tweed
How did Lego go from losing a million dollars a day to being the largest and the most profitable toy maker in the world in just ten short years? Bloomberg’s David Tweed reveals the story behind what will surely become a case study in business practice all over the world. The film contains footage taken inside the Lego factory in Denmark and is a must-see for all true Lego fans. A well-deserved spot among 11 best business documentaries on Netflix Instant in 2015.
4. Steve Jobs: One Last Thing
Site rank 8, IMDb rank 6; Overall Score = 14
Directed by Sarah Hunt and Mimi O’Connor
Regardless of what you think of Steve Jobs and his contribution to the world we know today, there’s one thing that can’t be denied: without him, our world wouldn’t be the same. The film consists of several interviews with Jobs himself and with people who worked closely with him in making Apple the technological behemoth it is today. The film tries to presents both angles: the one painting Jobs as the genius who improved our lives immensely, and the other one, portraying him as a ruthless man, not above stealing other people’s ideas and presenting them as his own, making a fortune in the process.
3. Something Ventured
Site rank 9, IMDb rank 7; Overall Score = 16
Directed by Daniel Geller and Dayna Goldfine
Who were venture capitalists before “venture capital” was even a term? We have all heard of Apple, Google, Cisco, Intel, and Genentech, and sometimes even the people who masterminded these companies. But what about the people who funded them, sometimes against the odds, and make their success possible? How did they manage to recognize “the next big thing” and invest money in it? What else, besides money, have they offered to people like Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak, Larry Page and Sergey Brin to ensure their success and the return on their investment? This is their story.
2. Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room
Site rank 7, IMDb rank 10; Overall Score = 17
Directed by Alex Gibney
Alex Gibney takes on a daunting task of exposing the truth behind what is described as “the biggest corporate crime of the century.” The astronomical rise of Enron and its even speedier implosion has all the elements of a Hollywood blockbuster. But this happened in real life to real people who felt the consequences of the greedy behavior of Enron management, with thousands losing their jobs and having their futures taken from them. The film reveals in painstaking detail how the Enron scandal came to be and how the whole house of cards came tumbling down in just 24 days. It also shows us the relationship between large corporation and the politicians, including both Presidents Bush, and just how toxic and damaging these ties can be.
1. Jiro Dreams of Sushi
Site rank 11, IMDb rank 11; Overall Score = 22
Directed by David Gelb
Another restaurant business story, about Jiro Ono, the world’s best sushi chef, a man Japan has deemed a national treasure —and the first sushi chef to receive three Michelin stars. For most people, that’s enough achievements for more than one lifetime. But Jiro still seeks his elusive perfection, both professionally and personally. The film explores how this affects his relationship with his son and heir, Yoshikazu, and what it would take for him to match up with his famous father, not to mention eclipse him. This masterfully told story is deservedly on the number one spot of our 11 best business documentaries on Netflix Instant in 2015 list.
