GameStop: one of the largest video game retailers in the world, and the “go-to name in the game.” It was a favorite spot for teens and youth in the early 2000s, but it unfortunately became less popular due to the rise in online purchasing in the mid 2010s. As a result of the significant drop in the company’s stock price over the past decade, hedge funds and other large investors began to bet on GameStop’s demise, a process otherwise known as “shorting.”
Directed by Craig Gillespie, “Dumb Money,” based on a true story, revolves around famous YouTuber Keith Gill, aka Roaring Kitty — played by Paul Dano — as he, along with his followers — played by America Ferrera and Anthony Ramos — deliver a big “F you” to the big Wall Street investors by investing in GameStop stock, thus driving the stock price up. Gill and his wife — played by Shailene Woodley — begin making more money than they knew what to do with. As a result, many big-time investors — played by Seth Rogen and Nick Offerman — lose billions of dollars due to the GameStop short squeeze. Also included in this star-studded cast is Saturday Night Live star and comedian Pete Davidson, who arguably carried this movie. Shout out to Pete Davidson.
Let’s start with the good stuff. The soundtrack was very appropriate in terms of when the movie took place, roughly 2019-2021. Some of the songs appeal more to younger generations, such as hits from artists like Megan Thee Stallion and Kendrick Lamar. They also included “Seven Nation Army” by The White Stripes for one of the montage scenes, which kept the audience engaged and on the edge of their seats. In terms of casting, the movie consists of truly a phenomenal group of actors. Each actor seemed to successfully embody their character and persona, especially Dano as the main character. The end of the movie included a comparison of the actors alongside the people they played. For me, this confirmed how well the actors took on their roles. More specifically, Davidson was a fantastic casting choice to play Gill’s brother, as they bounced off of each other really well. Davidson also added a huge comical element to the movie, and I laughed out loud every time they were on screen together. Finally, the movie was the perfect length — not too long, but not too short. There was never an instance where I was sitting bored in my seat. It was extremely entertaining, inspirational and humorous at just the right moments.
Now, there were some things about this movie I didn’t like so much and probably would’ve done differently. For starters, there was a large emphasis on the individual stories of some of the followers of Roaring Kitty, who were taking his advice in continuing to invest. This wasn’t necessarily a bad thing, as it undoubtedly made the movie more emotional and enticing. It was a bit exaggerated though, as in reality, most people chose to hold their stock as a joke and not because they felt like they needed to. You can specifically see this with Ferrara’s character, as she chose to hold in order to try and get herself out of debt. In addition, Gill told TheStreet that in real life, his brother is nothing like the way he was portrayed on screen, which was very surprising. Certain editing choices were also a bit cheesy, like when all of the TikTok videos would be put up on the screen at once. It seemed really cliché and I would’ve liked to see something a bit more unique. Nonetheless, diving into this level of critique misses the point. I feel that Gillespie has taken a complex subject and presented what actually happened in a very entertaining and successful way. I would definitely recommend this movie if you’re looking for a classic underdog, “screw-the-system” type of story. Go see “Dumb Money” today — now streaming on both Amazon Video and iTunes!