Oliver Stone opted for a change of direction following the Oscar-winning success of his Vietnam War drama Platoon with this stylish morality tale about insider trading - a topical subject at the time. Charlie Sheen gives a believable performance as the gullible broker who's prepared to break the law in pursuit of riches, and he's matched by his father Martin (also playing his screen father) as the blue-collar union representative who takes a dim view of his son's wheeler-dealing. Stealing the show, however, is Oscar winner Michael Douglas, who is memorable as ruthless corporate raider Gordon Gekko. Unusually, Stone's trademark neurotic camera movements actually seem appropriate here as the film details the titanic struggle for good over greed.

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.