Here's the thing: Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps isn't terrible, but it's aggressively mediocre. The critics were lukewarm, audiences liked it even less (44% on RT), and that 2.8/5 on Letterboxd is genuinely rough.

It's a sequel that nobody really asked for, arriving 23 years after the original, trying to capitalize on the 2008 financial crisis but without the bite or cultural impact of the first film. Michael Douglas reprises his role as Gordon Gekko, but the magic isn't there.

For families, the value proposition is weak. If you want to teach your teen about the financial crisis, there are sharper documentaries. If you want to discuss ethics and greed, there are more engaging films. And if you're just looking for entertainment? This 133-minute financial drama will likely have everyone checking their phones.

The 2010 release date means it's also starting to feel dated—the crisis it depicts is now nearly two decades old, and the film's attempts to be timely now feel like a history lesson without the benefit of historical perspective.

Bottom line: Unless your teen is specifically interested in finance or really loved the original Wall Street, this is skippable. It's not harmful, just... unnecessary.