Cutthroat Wall Street Tales: “Bull Run” Based On True Story Of One Man’s Journey Into This Beast: Movie Review

Cutthroat Wall Street Tales: “Bull Run” Based On True Story Of One Man’s Journey Into This Beast: Movie Review

This movie gives new meaning to the concept popularized by Jim Morrison: No one here gets out alive. Except one guy whose epic meltdown is still talked about by the workers he left behind.

But let’s back up a little. This film is based on a true story of a guy who got involved with investment banking and mergers and acquisitions at a Wall Street firm. This firm treats its employees mostly like dirt. Until they climb the ladder of importance (which they really rarely do), they are paid like garbage and not even for the work they do. This seems like one of those companies that basically pays their workers slave wages (ie an annual salary not based on how much you work – so it isn’t an hourly wage). If you work 100 hours in a week, you get paid the same as the week you work less. While this may make sense for accounting (with its seasonal super busy times), in this instance it doesn’t make sense. Particularly since it’s nearly constant – every time they’re closing a deal everyone’s in the office until midnight. It’s enough to drive anyone insane.

But that’s not even the worst part of that life, for this character or anyone else. The worst is when you’re working on a deal and the main client becomes a backstabber. That’s when the real crazy making happens. How do you deal with that? It seems to happen to all the workers there from time to time, wasting their time causing endless frustration.

In this movie, pretty much all the characters are rather rotten people. This includes Bobby, the main character and narrator for the journey. He does all kinds of little nasty things, like refusing to comment on a friend who thinks his hair is thinning, telling his ‘friend’ Faruch that there is a meeting when there isn’t, and making fun of his coworkers (mostly behind their backs but not always).

Then he meets the girl of his dreams, and the plot thickens. Luckily, she likes him as much as he likes her, so much so that she wants to rescue him out of this awful existence.

I won’t give away any more, since that’s where the movie actually becomes really interesting. In real life, this story ended with an epic email that literally went viral on social media at the time a few years back. In it, he pretty much insults most of the people he worked with who he secretly hated, and then he was gone. He did something else entirely with his life, getting out of the vepid snake pit he was stuck in.

This movie is very unique in many ways. It is shot using different cuts and scene changes than you’re probably used to. It’s used as a great device to keep the film moving at a fast Wall Street type of pace – never letting up, not slowing down. You have to pay attention, though, or you’ll miss the little text messages and instant messages that pop up on the screen for a few seconds – often changing everything.

The film was very interestingly done, and paints an accurate picture of a cutthroat, dog eat dog industry where every day is sink or swim and you’re only as good as your last great deal.

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I would recommend this film, and give it five stars

Movie still. Image Credit – Vertical Entertainment

The following is from the film’s distributors:

Los Angeles, CA (October 15, 2025) – Vertical has acquired U.S. rights to first-time feature filmmaker Alfredo Barrios Jr.’s existential comedy Bull Run. The film stars Tom Blyth (The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes), Chris Diamantopoulos (“Silicon Valley”) and Jay Mohr (Jerry Maguire).  Vertical will release the film in select theaters and On Demand on November 14th.

Bull Run follows Bobby Sanders (Tom Blyth), an ex-pro-hockey-player- turned-junior-banker, as he navigates the peculiar and surreal world of high finance and faces life’s meaning within this gilded cage.

The film also stars Zach Villa (“American Horror Story”), Jordyn Denning (“Pam & Tommy”), Ashwin Gore (“Shameless”), Helena Mattson (Seven Psychopaths), Trevor Gretzky (“Loudermilk”), Troy Garity (“Ballers”), Sam Daly (“The Office”) and Alyshia Ochse (“True Detective”). David Newbert is the Director of Photography.

Based on the memoir Discussion Materials: Tales of a Rookie Wall Street Investment Banker,  Writer & Producer Bill Keenan pulled from his own lived experience in the investment banking world. Prior to releasing his memoir, Keenan received notoriety having left his job as a Deutsche Bank investment banking associate with what DealBreaker called one of “Wall Street’s Greatest F*ck Y’all Emails of All-Time.” Keenan is a producer on the film along with Doug Ellin, Karen Baldwin, Howard Baldwin, Andrew Sugerman and Bill Immerman.

“Wall Street gave me an existential crisis,” said Writer & Director Bill Keenan in a statement. “Making Bull Run gave me free craft services and a producer credit. I should’ve led with the movie.”

“I couldn’t be more excited for audiences to check out our fun, funny and quirky movie. Tom Blyth and the rest of our wonderful cast are absolute revelations. If the audience has half as much fun with this movie as I had making it, then they’re in for a real treat. This film may not solve world hunger or end wars, but it’ll bring laughs at a time in which humanity is in desperate need of some. So I implore everyone to do their part to aid humanity and go see Bull Run,” added Writer & Director Alfredo Barrios Jr.

“Alfredo has crafted a film that is equal parts fun ride and ruthless critique, aided by his sharp script that Tom delivers through the fourth wall with a natural comic timing. We look forward to presenting the film to North American audiences,” added Vertical’s SVP of Acquisitions Tony Piantedosi.

The deal was negotiated by Piantedosi and Manager of Acquisitions and Sales Rachel White on behalf of Vertical and by Jessica Russo at VMI on behalf of the filmmakers.

Bill Keenan is a playwright and published author of two memoirs (Odd Man Rush and Discussion Materials: Tales of a Rookie Wall Street Investment Banker), both of which have been adapted into feature films. His first two works of fiction will be published in 2026. He currently serves as COO of Air Mail, a digital magazine launched by Graydon Carter. Before joining Air Mail, he was a professional hockey player in Europe. He graduated from Harvard College and Columbia Business School.

Alfredo Barrios Jr. is a Mexican-American writer, producer, and showrunner whose credits span some of television’s most dynamic dramas. He’s served as executive producer and staff writer on hits such as “Magnum P.I.,” “Burn Notice,” “Six,” “Law & Order,” and most recently Harlan Coben’s “Shelter.” Bull Run is his feature film directorial debut.

About VERTICAL

Founded in 2012, Vertical has become a leading global independent distributor releasing films across all mediums. Vertical’s unique combination of full-service marketing, distribution and highly effective sales services provides collaborative solutions for filmmakers, as the company leverages creative, exhibitor and platform relationships to maximize revenue streams from all content providers.

Vertical’s current and upcoming slate includes director/writer Luc Besson’s Dracula: A Love Tale starring Caleb Landry Jones, Christoph Waltz and Zoë Bleu; Zak Hilditch’s We Bury the Dead starring Daisy Ridley and Brenton Thwaites; Eric Lin’s Rosemead starring Lucy Liu in a tour-de-force performance; Justin Lin’s Last Days starring newcomer Sky Yang; Brian Kirk’s Dead of Winter starring Emma Thompson and Judy Greer; Director/writer Kristin Scott Thomas’ My Mother’s Wedding starring Thomas, Scarlett Johansson, Sienna Miller, Emily Beecham and Freida Pinto; Academy Award-winning director Ron Howard’s Eden which had its world premiere at TIFF 2024 and stars Jude Law, Ana de Armas, Vanessa Kirby, Daniel Brühl and Sydney Sweeney; and Fight or Flight directed by James Madigan and starring Josh Hartnett and Katee Sackhoff.

Past Vertical releases include 2024’s SXSW selection The Threesome directed by Chad Hartigan and starring Zoey Deutch; 2024’s SXSW selection I Don’t Understand You co-directed/co-written by David Joseph Craig and Brian William Crano and starring Nick Kroll and Andrew Rannells. 2024 Tribeca selection Sacramento starring Michael Angarano, Michael Cera, Kristen Stewart and Maya Erskine penned and directed by Angarano; Guns Up directed by Edward Drake and starring Kevin James, Christina Ricci, Luis Guzmán and Academy Award-winner Melissa Leo; In The Lost Lands directed by Paul W.S. Anderson based on George R.R. Martin’s short story and starring Milla Jovovich and Dave Bautista; TIFF 2024 and Venice International FF 2024 selection The Order from director Justin Kurzel and starring Jude Law, Nicholas Hoult, Tye Sheridan and Jurnee Smollett; TIFF 2023 selection Lee, directed by Ellen Kuras and starring Kate Winslet, Andrea Riseborough, Andy Samberg, Alexander Skarsgård and Marion Cotillard; director George Nolfi’s sci-fi thriller Elevation starring Anthony Mackie and Morena Baccarin; Caroline Lindy’s Your Monster which stars Melissa Barrera and Tommy Dewey and had its World Premiere at Sundance 2024; The Exorcism directed by Joshua John Miller and starring Russell Crowe, Ryan Simpkins, Chloe Bailey and Sam Worthington; TIFF 2023 selection Poolman, written, directed by and starring Chris Pine alongside Danny DeVito and Annette Bening from producers Patty Jenkins and Stacey Sher; 2023 Cannes Selection Firebrand from director Karim Aïnouz and starring Alicia Vikander and Jude Law; the 2023 Berlin Film Festival Opener She Came to Me directed by Rebecca Miller and starring Peter Dinklage, Marisa Tomei and Anne Hathaway; Phillip Noyce’s Fast Charlie starring Pierce Brosnan and Morena Baccarin; 2023 Independent Spirit Award winner Emily the Criminal written & directed by John Patton Ford starring Aubrey Plaza and Theo Rossi; and Damián Szifron’s To Catch a Killer starring Shailene Woodley and Ben Mendelsohn.

For more information about Vertical, go to www.Vert-Ent.com.

Banner Image: Bull Run movie poster. Image Credit – Vertical Entertainment