In amongst news of lockdowns and vaccinations, 2021 also saw the short squeeze on shares of dwindling retailer GameStop make the headlines, leading to the ‘war on Wall Street’ between everyday stock sellers and major hedge fund managers. Based upon the best-selling book The Antisocial Network by Ben Mezrich, this inspiring true story has been adapted for the big screen by director Craig Gillespie. Comedy drama Dumb Money centres around analyst turned YouTube celebrity Keith Gill (Paul Dano) who encouraged his online audience to invest in the video game store under his internet alias Roaring Kitty. Through the personal stories of nurse Jennifer (America Ferrara), students Harmony (Talia Ryder) and Riri (Myha’la Herrold), businessman Gabe Plotkin (Seth Rogen) and more, the film explores the ripple effects of this controversial financial advice.
Due to the complicated nature of the material, there’s a lot of jargon and terminology to get to grips with from the finance industry. In a similar style to Adam McKay’s satirical credit crisis flick The Big Short, the technicalities are made digestible thanks to a smart but accessible script from screenwriting duo Lauren Schuker Blum and Rebecca Angelo. The narrative splits into its various strands to give different points of view, and admittedly some are more engaging than others. In taking this approach, we get light sketches of the agony and ecstasy experienced by those involved, and the less interesting angles only really take away from the central character whose arc is quite considerably the strongest.
We’ve grown accustomed to Paul Dano taking on dark and complex roles, so it is refreshing to see him in a part like this. It’s a fun performance full of personality and charisma, but he brings star quality and a depth which finely illustrates the emotional stakes of his risky behaviour. His on-screen relationship with Shailene Woodley, who plays his wife Caroline, is excellent; they share a sense of unity that feels modern and progressive and it’s great to see a marriage portrayed in that way. Their extended family scenes is where the film is at its best, with a perfectly cast Pete Davidson bringing his comic goofiness to proceedings as Keith’s slacker brother, Kevin.
It may be the case that this is a great true story more than it’s a great film, but director Craig Gillespie presents it in an enjoyable and entertaining package which is no mean feat. With a winning turn from Paul Dano at its plucky underdog heart, Dumb Money is worth the investment.
Cinema Perspective 