Money makes the world go round, money comes and goes, time is money, money's on our mind and our minds on our money. We put a lot of value into the dollar. Despite what the numbers say, people place a different value on the dollar for different reasons. A single George Washington could tip the balance for someone to get by. A mattress full of green paper may be the start of something new. Whether you're a saving penny-pincher or a generous spendthrift, money has a measured importance in your life. In the movies, there are a few coin snatchers that would enjoy the opportunity of sneaking their hands into your pockets.
8 Aaron Stampler – Primal Fear (1996)
Primal Fear follows the murder of an archbishop, whose main suspect is 19-year-old altar boy Aaron Stampler (Edward Norton). His attorney prepares him for his trial, teaching him how to look innocent. When evidence surfaces that Aaron was forced to do sexual acts, Aaron's personality becomes sociopathic, then hostile, and back to harmless. The damage that sexual abuse has done to Aaron has made him unstable and irrational, enough to protect himself from the law and public perception. Assuming the traits of his abuser gives Aaron the criminal drive to hurt, kill, and even steal.
7 Max Shreck - Batman Returns (1992)
Batman Returns has three villains, Catwoman, the Penguin, and wealthy industrialist Max Shreck (Christopher Walken). Shreck is a corrupt business owner. He aimed to steal the Gotham City power supply from under a power plant he had plans to build. Shreck also swayed public opinion of the ousted, deformed Oswald Cobblepot (orphaned by his socialite family and raised by penguins), and made him mayor while working with the Penguin's criminal underworld to ensure the construction of the plant. Money talks for Max Shreck, and he's talking to your dollar's buying power.
6 Louis Bloom – Nightcrawler (2014)
Nightcrawler is about freelance photojournalist Louis Bloom (Jake Gyllenhaal) who was a thief selling stolen goods. He "investigates" crime scenes that just occurred, recording victims, carnage, and the gruesome aftermath. Louis then sells his footage to the local news station, profiting off the misfortunes of others. He later hires interns to help him do his dirty work, keeping the "business" alive and his (and probably their) money tight.
5 Bill Lumbergh - Office Space (1999)
Office Space shares the humdrum post-modern existence of corporate work culture. Vice president of Initech Bill Lumbergh (Gary Cole) manages his employees like it's a sport. Overseeing his workers' performance at a lofty position, Bill has leverage to make more money than his obedient busy bees. The cold detachment and pressing expectation he holds over his employees keeps them complacent and unsuspecting of the money he doesn't really deserve based on his treatment of those in the company.
4 Nicky Santoro - Casino (1995)
Casino is an epic crime film about the Italian-Mafia running a Las Vegas casino. The "made-man" Nicky Santoro (Joe Pesci) is sent to protect and help mob associate Sam Rothstein (Robert De Niro) maintain their business. Nicky however participates in burglaries and extortion that gain him bad publicity in the media, causing him to be listed in the Black Book, a group of people banned from casinos. Nicky not only jeopardized the mafia, he ruined his childhood friendship with Sam, all for dirty deeds and a quick buck.
3 Keyser Söze – The Usual Suspects (1995)
The Usual Suspects is a neo-noir mystery involving a heist that is a set-up by Turkish crime lord Keyser Söze (Kevin Spacey). The thieves were promised millions of dollars in exchange for a cocaine stash on a ship of Argentinian drug dealers. Among them is the mysterious Söze who lured them into his trap, knowing they had stolen from him in the past. A surviving suspect from the ordeal, Roger "Verbal" Kint, confesses that a man from his gang had faked his death to escape the sting operation, leading the police to process his bail. It is revealed that Verbal and Söze are the same person, after the story he shared in the investigation room was discovered to be inspired by random objects in the office. Money is no object for Verbal or Söze.
2 Daniel Plainview – There Will be Blood (2007)
There Will Be Blood is a period drama taking place in the late 19th century during the oil boom of Southern California. Daniel Plainview (Daniel Day-Lewis) finds oil in Los Angeles, where he starts his own drilling company. His business practices are ruthless; he adopts a deceased worker's son and uses him to give people the perception that he's a family man. Money comes first and at all costs for Daniel, hence the blood money he earns.
1 Gordon Gekko – Wall Street (1987)
Wall Street follows the money with the underhanded practices of corporate raider Gordon Gekko (Michael Douglas). He buys large amounts of a company's stock, controlling the stake and increasing the value of his investment in the corporations. Using inside information to his advantage, Gekko effectively undermines the money market to take in everyone's losses and turn them into gains.