# More suggestions for "smart" movies in the Scorcese/Aaron Sorkin/Michael Lewis vibe? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 19, 2016, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/more-suggestions-for-smart-movies-in-the-scorcese-aaron-sorkin-michael-lewis-vibe/760325 "2016-07-19T15:23:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2016, 3:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/more-suggestions-for-smart-movies-in-the-scorcese-aaron-sorkin-michael-lewis-vibe/760325/21 "2016-07-20T03:49:54Z")
Thank You for Smoking ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2016, 3:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/more-suggestions-for-smart-movies-in-the-scorcese-aaron-sorkin-michael-lewis-vibe/760325/22 "2016-07-20T03:55:17Z")
> [@Sage\_Rat](#): > > I feel like the OP is looking more for dialogue-heavy movies than, necessarily, smart movies. It would probably make the most sense to look for movies based on stage plays. I don’t think they’re based on stage plays, but I liked the Whit Stillman films _Metropolitan_ and _Barcelona_ (and, to a lesser extent, _The Last Days of Disco_). If you like dialogue-heavy movies, you might like them. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2016, 4:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/more-suggestions-for-smart-movies-in-the-scorcese-aaron-sorkin-michael-lewis-vibe/760325/23 "2016-07-20T04:06:41Z")
[The Man From Earth](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0756683/) is nothing but dialogue and it’s brilliant. [Kiss Kiss Bang Bang](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0373469/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1) is film noir in the early 21st century and is not Sidney Lumet- or David Mamet- involved. And in the category the OP spoke of, “these ‘smartest guys in the room showing up everyone’ kind of movies”, let’s not forget [Ace Ventura: Pet Detective](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0109040/?ref_=fn_al_tt_4); [cite](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pmEwZ2JJOUk). 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Shalmanese](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shalmanese](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shalmanese)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2016, 5:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/more-suggestions-for-smart-movies-in-the-scorcese-aaron-sorkin-michael-lewis-vibe/760325/24 "2016-07-20T05:44:51Z")
[Margin Call](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1615147/) is a much better movie than The Big Short IMHO and all of JC Chandor’s other movies are worth watching. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2016, 12:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/more-suggestions-for-smart-movies-in-the-scorcese-aaron-sorkin-michael-lewis-vibe/760325/25 "2016-07-20T12:39:32Z")
Except if you want dialogue-heavy movies, I don’t think you’d like _[All Is Lost](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/All_Is_Lost)_ (one of JC Chandor’s movies). ---
**Author:** ![Shalmanese](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shalmanese](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shalmanese)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2016, 12:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/more-suggestions-for-smart-movies-in-the-scorcese-aaron-sorkin-michael-lewis-vibe/760325/26 "2016-07-20T12:46:42Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > Except if you want dialogue-heavy movies, I don’t think you’d like _[All Is Lost](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/All_Is_Lost)_ (one of JC Chandor’s movies). What are you talking about? The dialogue between Robert Redford’s left eyebrow and Robert Redford’s right eyebrow had me riveted through the entire movie. ---
**Author:** ![Dangerosa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Dangerosa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dangerosa)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2016, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/more-suggestions-for-smart-movies-in-the-scorcese-aaron-sorkin-michael-lewis-vibe/760325/27 "2016-07-20T14:48:26Z")
The Clooney/Pitt/Damon Oceans 11 For something different, Gilmore Girls has really smart snappy dialog, though it gets boring after a season. Also different, the Miss Fisher Murder Mysteries. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2016, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/more-suggestions-for-smart-movies-in-the-scorcese-aaron-sorkin-michael-lewis-vibe/760325/28 "2016-07-20T14:55:19Z")
> [@Boyo\_Jim](#): > > Burn After Reading- - a brilliant very dark comical spy movie In fact, all of the Coen Brothers’ movies have a certain intelligence to them (that may or may not be along the lines of the kind of thing the OP is looking for). ---
**Author:** ![MostlyClueless](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba9def/32.png) [@MostlyClueless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MostlyClueless)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2016, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/more-suggestions-for-smart-movies-in-the-scorcese-aaron-sorkin-michael-lewis-vibe/760325/29 "2016-07-20T18:09:31Z")
I reckon “Lucky number Slevin” would be right up your alley. Can’t really tell more without spoiling. Can I get a witness? ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2016, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/more-suggestions-for-smart-movies-in-the-scorcese-aaron-sorkin-michael-lewis-vibe/760325/30 "2016-07-20T20:49:28Z")
> [@MostlyClueless](#): > > I reckon “Lucky number Slevin” would be right up your alley. Can’t really tell more without spoiling. Can I get a witness? Aye, it’s a decent flick. Also the only time I could stand Lucy Liu (she’s terrific in this). ---
**Author:** ![edwards\_beard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7bcc69/32.png) [@edwards\_beard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/edwards_beard)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2016, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/more-suggestions-for-smart-movies-in-the-scorcese-aaron-sorkin-michael-lewis-vibe/760325/31 "2016-07-21T15:58:32Z")
How about Absence Of Malice or The Verdict? ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2016, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/more-suggestions-for-smart-movies-in-the-scorcese-aaron-sorkin-michael-lewis-vibe/760325/32 "2016-07-21T16:07:14Z")
> [@Penfeather](#): > > … For my money, though, [The Day of the Jackal](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/day_of_the_jackal/?search=the%20day%20of%20the%20jackal) is the smartest, tautest, most intelligent thriller ever made: this movie is just a master-class in tense economy: half of you is cheering for the killer to succeed, the other half is yelling “For Christ’s sake stop him!”. Bonus points for being a police procedural that actually shows just how real policing works, _ie_ hard work. There is a Bruce Willis/Richard Gere remake of this which, while it isn’t terrible, is best avoided. I agree the original was completely brilliant, as is the book by Frederick Forsythe if you’re interested. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/more-suggestions-for-smart-movies-in-the-scorcese-aaron-sorkin-michael-lewis-vibe/760325.md?page=1)