Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- Mild
- tense
- cautionary
- grounded
- true crime viewing
- financial thriller night
What critics said
Critics broadly found the headline-making true story dramatically belated and clumsily handled, despite Ewan McGregor's committed performance.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Nick Leeson's unauthorized trading and the collapse of Barings Bank provide the film's factual foundation.
Nick secretly covers trading losses and compounds the fraud through progressively larger bets.
Nick's promotion, expanded trading freedom, and weak supervision enable his rapid descent.
Barings permits one employee to run both trading and back-office operations with cheap, inexperienced staff.
Films like Rogue Trader, and why
The Wolf of Wall Street
shared biographical crime drama, institutional corruption, and escalating financial fraud
The Big Short
shared financial crime, moral collapse, and tense corporate thriller elements
Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room
shared real-world banking scandal, procedural drama, and systemic institutional failure
Movie Details
- Director
- James Dearden
- Release Date
- 1999-06-25
- Runtime
- 101 min
- Rating
- 5.9 / 10 (138)
Cast
- Ewan McGregor
- Anna Friel
- Nigel Lindsay
- Tim McInnerny
- Irene Ng
- Lee Ross
- Yves Beneyton
- Simon Shepherd
- John Standing
- Pip Torrens
Where to watch in United States
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Rogue Trader about?
- An ambitious bank trader’s secret losses spiral into a catastrophic fraud that destroys a venerable financial institution.
- What is Rogue Trader like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Rogue Trader as brisk, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is Rogue Trader violent?
- Only mildly. Ember rates the violence in Rogue Trader as mild.
- What did critics think of Rogue Trader?
- Critics broadly found the headline-making true story dramatically belated and clumsily handled, despite Ewan McGregor's committed performance.
- Which films are like Rogue Trader?
- Films with a similar feel include The Wolf of Wall Street, The Big Short, and Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room.
- How long is Rogue Trader?
- Rogue Trader runs 101 minutes.
- Where can I watch Rogue Trader?
- In United States, Rogue Trader is available to rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Fandango At Home.
