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Equity (2016) movie poster

Timeline

Equity (2016) Timeline Explained – Every Event in Order

Release, runtime and language
2016 · 100 min · English
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Directed by
Meera Menon
Starring
Craig Bierko, Margaret Colin, James Purefoy, Alysia Reiner, Anna Gunn, Nate Corddry

Naomi Bishop is a driven and ambitious investment banker facing a career plateau. She fights for a lucrative IPO deal with a promising startup, fueled by professional desire and a need to prove herself. However, as concerns surface regarding the company's ethical practices, Naomi finds herself at a crossroads. She must decide whether to expose the troubling information and risk jeopardizing her career or to push forward with the deal, navigating complex moral questions along the way.

Drama Cast, crew & box office
On this page (6)
  1. 1 Where to watch
  2. 2 Events in order (12)
  3. 3 Timeline questions answered
  4. 4 Movie threads
  5. 5 Movies like Equity
  6. 6 Every angle
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12 events in order · contains spoilers

Equity Timeline: Events in Chronological Order

Every key event of Equity (2016) in order, scene by scene, with when and where it takes place. Use it to untangle flashbacks, time jumps and parallel storylines, to refresh your memory before the sequel or to find the exact scene you are thinking of.

  1. Naomi lands Cachet IPO assignment

    Naomi Bishop, a senior investment banker, is assigned to manage the IPO for Cachet after her previous project is undervalued. She aims to bounce back by securing a high-profile deal, despite early professional setbacks. She must navigate investor skepticism and mounting pressure to deliver results.

    When
    Pre-IPO phase

  2. Naomi reconnects with Samantha the prosecutor

    Naomi runs into Samantha Ryan, a federal prosecutor, who is investigating white-collar crime. Samantha's presence foreshadows looming legal scrutiny around Naomi's circle. The chance encounter reinforces the collision between Naomi's dealmaking and Samantha's investigations.

    When
    Early phase

  3. Samantha targets Naomi's boyfriend for insider trading

    Samantha expands her case to Naomi's inner circle by focusing on Michael Connor, Naomi's broker boyfriend, whom she suspects of insider trading. She begins monitoring his activity as part of a broader inquiry. Michael tries to press Naomi for Cachet information but fails, heightening the tension between them.

    When
    Early investigation phase

  4. Due diligence reveals Cachet is hackable

    During due diligence, Marin reveals a vulnerability in Cachet's technology that could be exploited by hackers. Naomi weighs the security risk, but the financial numbers still look solid, keeping the IPO on track. The discovery raises the stakes and questions about the true risk behind the company.

    When
    Due diligence phase
    Where
    Cachet offices

  5. Naomi pushes ahead with the IPO despite red flags

    Despite the red flags, Naomi's numbers-checks pass and she continues to push Cachet's shares to investors. The pressure to close the deal overrides concerns about security breaches. The roadshow unfolds as the market eyes a platform with potential but acknowledged risks.

    When
    IPO roadshow
    Where
    Investor meetings

  6. Michael fails to hack Naomi's phone

    Michael, frustrated by a lack of insider tips, attempts to hack Naomi's phone to access confidential information. His effort underscores how easily the insider-trading network could be exposed. Naomi remains focused on the IPO, unaware of the immediate threat.

    When
    Pre-trading days
    Where
    Naomi's office

  7. Erin warns Naomi after Marin's firing

    Erin Manning learns that Marin has been fired from Cachet and tries to warn Naomi by going to Michael's home, but ends up leaking the information to him. Michael uses the leaked details to pass tips to Titanite and to a tech journalist. The breach accelerates the unraveling of Naomi's dealmaking world.

    When
    Mid-event
    Where
    Michael's home

  8. Insider tips spread to Titanite and the press

    Michael leaks insider tips to his friends at Titanite and forwards the story to a tech journalist, widening the circle of information sharing. The leaks fuel market rumors that threaten Cachet's IPO and poison investor confidence. Titanite's interest surges as regulators and rivals take note.

    When
    Mid to late IPO phase
    Where
    Titanite offices

  9. Naomi discovers Erin's betrayal

    Naomi spots the green-pen clue and realizes Erin betrayed her, linking the pen to Michael's habit. The revelation shatters trust within Naomi's team and casts doubt on the due diligence process. As the IPO nears, internal fractures threaten to derail the deal.

    When
    Before trading opens
    Where
    Cachet offices

  10. Cachet's stock plunges on the first day

    On the first day of trading, investor confidence collapses and Cachet's stock falls about a third in value. Naomi faces scrutiny as the market reacts to security concerns and insider-trading whispers. The IPO's promise turns into a setback that reverberates through the company.

    When
    First day of trading
    Where
    Stock exchange

  11. Michael moves to Titanite; Naomi is fired; Erin rises

    Michael leaves Naomi's firm to join Titanite, while Erin steps into Naomi's previously held role. Naomi is fired as a result of the fallout, and Erin ascends within Cachet. The rapid power shift exposes how betrayal and market pressure can reshape a corporate ladder.

    When
    Post-IPO fallout
    Where
    Titanite offices

  12. Samantha targets a lucrative corporate role

    Unable to crack the case from the outside, Samantha interviews for a lucrative corporate position, using phrases from Naomi's alumni speech to frame her own ambitions. The move exposes her willingness to win through money and influence. The scene leaves Naomi's world unsettled as the larger mystery remains unresolved.

    When
    After IPO fallout
    Where
    Alumni event / Corporate interview

Last updated: October 09, 2025 at 16:21

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Timeline questions answered

Equity Timeline Explained: Your Questions Answered

When does it happen, and why in that order? The questions people ask about the chronology of Equity (2016): time jumps, flashbacks, cause and effect between scenes and the correct order of events, each answered with spoilers.

Q1

Why does Naomi push forward with the Cachet IPO after learning the platform is hackable?

Naomi decides to continue because the financial numbers still check out during due diligence. As an investment banker, her job is to assess whether a company is viable for an IPO based on financial performance, not to fix technical security issues. She rationalizes that security vulnerabilities are a tech problem, not a financial one, and believes she can still sell the shares to investors.

  • cachet ipo
  • naomi bishop
  • security vulnerability
  • due diligence
  • investment banking
Q2

How does Erin betray Naomi by leaking information to Michael?

Erin learns that Marin, the Cachet coder who revealed the security flaw, has been fired. She goes to Michael's home to warn Naomi but cannot reach her. In hopes of getting a promotion that Naomi couldn't secure for her, Erin deliberately leaks Marin's firing to Michael, who then passes the tips to his contacts at Titanite and to a tech journalist.

Foreshadowing: Erin's ambition for promotion is established early when she expresses frustration about her lack of advancement.

  • erin manning
  • michael connor
  • betrayal
  • leak
  • cachet coder
Q3

What is Michael Connor's role in the insider trading investigation?

Michael is a broker whom Samantha Ryan suspects of insider trading. Desperate for new tips to pass to his friends at Titanite, he tries to hack into Naomi's phone to access confidential information about Cachet. When that fails, he exploits Erin's leak about Marin's firing to spread insider tips to Titanite and a journalist.

Foreshadowing: Michael's attempts to get information from Naomi about Cachet fail early in the film, setting up his later reliance on Erin's leak.

  • michael connor
  • insider trading
  • samantha ryan
  • titanite
  • broker
Q4

How does Naomi figure out that Erin is the one who betrayed her?

Naomi notices that Erin has a green pen, the same type of pen Michael uses. This visual clue leads Naomi to connect Erin to Michael, realizing that Erin must have been the one who leaked information to him. The green pen becomes the key evidence linking the betrayal.

  • naomi bishop
  • erin manning
  • betrayal
  • green pen
  • evidence
Q5

Why does Cachet's stock lose a third of its value on the first day of trading?

The stock plummets because investor confidence collapses after the security vulnerabilities and insider trading tips leak to the press. Market rumors about Cachet being hackable combined with the controversy surrounding the IPO cause widespread selling, resulting in the dramatic price drop.

  • cachet stock
  • ipo debut
  • stock crash
  • investor confidence
  • first day trading
Q6

Why does Samantha Ryan take a corporate job after failing to build a case?

Unable to crack the insider trading case from her position as a prosecutor, Samantha decides to join the corporate world herself. During her interview, she uses phrases from a speech Naomi gave at an alumni event, revealing she's now pursuing wealth and influence rather than justice.

Foreshadowing: Samantha's conversation with Naomi at the alumni event plant the seeds for her later decision.

  • samantha ryan
  • corporate job
  • prosecutor
  • alumni event
  • ambition
Q7

What happens to Naomi Bishop at the end of the movie?

Naomi is fired from her firm as a result of the Cachet IPO disaster. Her professional downfall comes from pushing forward with the IPO despite the red flags and the subsequent market collapse. Meanwhile, Erin ascends to Naomi's former position, and Michael leaves to join Titanite.

  • naomi bishop
  • fired
  • career fallout
  • cachet ipo
  • professional consequences
Q8

Why does Michael move to Titanite after the IPO collapses?

Michael leaves Naomi's firm to join Titanite, where he had been feeding insider tips throughout the IPO process. Titanite benefits from the insider information Michael provided, making him a valuable hire despite the scandal. He leaves without taking Erin with him, abandoning both women.

  • michael connor
  • titanite
  • job change
  • insider tips
  • betrayal
Q9

Why does Erin go to Michael's home instead of contacting Naomi directly?

Erin tries to reach Naomi but cannot get through to her. Desperate to warn someone about Marin being fired, she goes to Michael's home. However, instead of simply warning him, she uses the opportunity to leak the information in exchange for his promise to help advance her career.

  • erin manning
  • michael home
  • leak
  • warning
  • career ambition
Q10

What red flags does Naomi ignore during the Cachet IPO process?

Naomi ignores two major red flags: the security vulnerability in Cachet's platform that makes it hackable, and the firing of Marin, the coder who revealed the flaw. Despite these concerns, she prioritizes closing the deal over ethical considerations, driven by her need to prove herself after professional setbacks.

  • red flags
  • ignored warnings
  • cachet security
  • marin fired
  • ethical concerns

Movie threads

More Movies Like Equity, by Mood & Story

Curated lists built around what makes Equity tick: the same mood, the same kind of story or the same emotional payoff. Each list explains why these movies belong together.

Movies about corporate moral dilemmas like Equity

Professionals face career-defining ethical dilemmas under immense pressure. If you enjoyed the ethical conflicts in Equity, this thread features similar movies about ambition and compromise in high-stakes professional worlds. Explore dramas where successful careers are threatened by moral choices in finance, law, and corporate power structures.

  • tense
  • ambitious
  • calculating
  • cutthroat
  • anxious
  • betrayed
  • Tone: tense, serious, disillusioned
  • Pacing: steady, methodical
Why these movies?

The story pattern: Stories in this thread follow driven, ambitious protagonists whose professional success hinges on a major deal or case. As they navigate a competitive world, they uncover unethical practices that force a crisis of conscience, pitting personal ambition against integrity.

Why they belong together: These films are grouped together for their shared focus on ethical compromises within professional settings, a tense and serious tone, and protagonists who face disillusioning outcomes. They share a methodical pacing that builds psychological tension rather than relying on action.

Equity movie poster

Equity

2016
Patterns movie poster

Patterns

1955
Capital Games movie poster

Capital Games

2013
Blue Chips movie poster

Blue Chips

1994
The Dilemma movie poster

The Dilemma

2020
Promised Lands movie poster

Promised Lands

2010
The Burial movie poster

The Burial

2023
The Promotion movie poster

The Promotion

2014

Movies with a tense and bittersweet vibe like Equity

Stories where steady, building anxiety leads to morally complex outcomes. For viewers who liked the methodical tension and complex ending of Equity, this list collects films with a similar steady-paced, anxious build-up and morally ambiguous conclusions. Discover dramas and thrillers where the victory is as much about survival as it is about loss.

  • tense
  • anxious
  • methodical
  • bittersweet
  • psychological
  • uneasy
  • Tone: tense, anxious, bittersweet
  • Pacing: steady, slow burn
Why these movies?

The story pattern: The narrative pattern involves a slow, cumulative build-up of pressure through revelations and betrayals, rather than sudden action. The protagonist's journey is defined by navigating a web of difficult choices, often ending with a bittersweet resolution that emphasizes survival at a cost over clear-cut triumph.

Why they belong together: These films are united by their controlled, steady pacing that creates a palpable sense of anxiety, a dominant tense tone, and emotionally complex endings that leave a lingering impact. The experience is intellectually engaging and psychologically intense.

Method movie poster

Method

2017
Enduring Love movie poster

Enduring Love

2004
Glorious movie poster

Glorious

2018
The Burdened movie poster

The Burdened

2023
The Velvet Touch movie poster

The Velvet Touch

1948
Teen Patti movie poster

Teen Patti

2010
The Tamarind Seed movie poster

The Tamarind Seed

1974
The Story on Page One movie poster

The Story on Page One

1959

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Every angle

Equity (2016) Explained: Plot, Timeline & Characters

Everything about Equity in one place: what happens in the plot summary, the timeline in chronological order, the characters and meaning and a spoiler-free summary. What's After the Movie adds the cast, box office and post-credit scenes.

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