Dumb Money

Never seen a Made for TV movie in a theatre before, but that's what this feels like. Maybe it has a lot to do with the events this movie being about not even being three years old and already getting such a detailed movie.

I have to admit, the shakeup of Wall Street definitely was worth talking about and I have to say this movie did a better job of explaining the whole story than the documentary Game Stop: Rise of the Players.

Despite speaking with some of the real people Rise of the Players did not have the heart needed to get me to understand the numbers of exactly how these guys did it.

So, for teaching me that, I love it. It's a mediocre movie but everyone loves an underdog story, and this is a great one!

I wasn't as hyped about this movie as others because it's recent history that's still fresh in our memories. People who were interested in the story during covid will remember it well. However, I do appreciate that it immortalizes the story, even though a part of me thinks it might be a bit too soon.

It's a financial underdog movie, and just like during the events in 2020, it had me rooting for Keith Gill. There are moments of incredible humor. The characters are well-written and have great chemistry. The film opts for a minimalist and simple style, lacking flashy visuals, but it excels in storytelling and humor. It also boasts a good soundtrack.

I wished it could have left a more enduring impression on me, one that made me believe I could achieve what the characters did, much like the real Keith Gill/Roaring Kitty accomplished. It lacked that magnetic allure that movies like "Goodfellas" or "The Wolf of Wall Street" possess, where you're drawn to emulate the characters despite the consequences. These films romanticize their lifestyles, no matter how destructive they may be. My hope was that this movie would do the same but entice viewers to aspire to be the "good guys" who ultimately triumphed, rather than emulate the Ken Griffens and Vlad Tenevs of the world. That's what underdog movies typically achieve. Additionally, I found the pacing inconsistent, with moments of genuine engagement alternating with periods when my brain seemed to be on autopilot.

While it's a good movie, it didn't completely blow me away. This might be because we're already familiar with the story due to its recent occurrence. In some ways, this familiarity helps the movie, but in other ways, it doesn't. I don't think it's better or even on par with "The Wolf of Wall Street," for example, but it stands well on its own. Unlike films like that or even "The Big Short," I don't think this movie will be held in such high regard a decade from now as it will be now. Nevertheless, it's still an enjoyable, fun, and funny experience. Definitely worth a watch, all things considered.

I went into this not knowing a massive amount about the GameStop stuff.

I think the film does well in showing the story but only from a high level. It doesn't go into too much detail of certain decisions or certain character arcs but I think it's good enough. However, I do think this film came out too soon considering the events only happened in 2020/21. Feel like if it came out a few years later it would have been better.

Saying all that, I think it was well acted, had a few funny moments and music choice was good.

It's not Oscar worthy by any means but it's still an enjoyable watch especially if you don't know much about the true story.

The early part of this film, perhaps the first 15 minutes or so, constitutes some of the most painful moments of my entire movie-viewing life. The filmmakers repeatedly chose to blast the film with absolutely obnoxious, offensive, crude and un-listenable rap music that plays too long and WAY too loud. If I hadn't just spent $5.99 to rent the movie, I absolutely would have turned it off. I'm glad I didn't turn it off, though, because once we got past the rap-fest, it settled into a pretty good movie. Paul Dano is excellent as the earnest, well-meaning day trader who sparks a worldwide rift in the stock market. It's a classic case of the little guy who stands up to the powers at the top. There's still some rap that I could live without throughout the movie, but those first few minutes appear to betray some sort of mental breakdown on the part of the director, music supervisor, and editor. Watch with caution.

This is an important story, one that everyone should learn about -- the true version, at any rate; that includes understanding some technical (but not overly technical) details about what happened, and why.

With this film, unfortunately (as with many others), Hollywood treats its viewers as 'dumb money'. This one prioritizes the industry's current identity politics mandate -- even over and above the class conflict and issues regarding market fairness -- over relaying critical information and details to the viewers about what sort of chicanery and shadiness actually transpired.

As examples, the film did not even spend two minutes explaining to the viewers about: how the Robinhood app actually worked. E.g., the shares were NOT coming from the open market per se; Gill's actual views; what was really happening and said on Reddit; why the government ceased its investigation; the big money that got behind the short squeeze (e.g., Burry, R Cohen, et al); the IMPORTANCE of the disconnect between investing and investment "fundamentals" here (i.e., people investing not because they truly believed in the company's underlying value, and surely not merely holding stock and investing even more solely because Gill himself did so...).

The filmmakers also enjoyed parading their current favourite American congressmen before the viewers. Funnily enough, however, the film ignored WHY those legislators' political colour team members in the Executive branch -- including the named oversight bodies -- quashed the investigations. One wonders why...

A relatively popular four-part documentary on the GameStop saga is overly long and misses certain critical details (indeed, perhaps the most heinous tidbit in the tale). Even so, it's far superior to this movie. So, save your money and watch it, or a comparable documentary, instead. Alternatively, perhaps just read the book upon which this film was based?

The acting was mostly good, but the script was weak and, again, the omissions in key details are unforgivable. A nice followup (independent) film would nevertheless be about the film industry being rigged too and how it's a propaganda tool.