We are so fortunate to be living in a time where massive stories that grip the entire globe are being told very soon after actual events unfold. We used to have to wait years and years to relive a story via cinematic dramatization, but now a mere two years after the GameStop saga, Storytellers Lauren Schuker Blum and Rebecca Angelo have given us an exhilarating retelling of arguably the craziest short squeeze in Wall Street history, peppered with laughs and even more gasps!
‘Dumb Money’ is a biographical comedy/drama directed by Craig Gillespie. I cannot remember when I had so much fun in the cinema simply watching non-fiction based on a true story.
The performances are solid, especially that of Paul Dano and Pete Davidson who play brothers Keith and Kevin Gill. Dano is so quirky and nerdy that he instantly wins you over in his representation of every other American father that sits at home day trading sticks, trying to provide for his family.
Pete Davidson deserves attention for his performance too. We’ve seen Davidson on SNL through the years but that is Improv. There is a stark difference when it comes to improvisation vs scripted, and this movie really shines a light on Pete Davidson’s scripted acting prowess. It was impossible not to enjoy him in this movie as the annoying brother.
Outstanding performance mentions include America Ferrera, Seth Rogen, Shailene Woodley, and Sebastian Stan, who all provide fantastic portrayals.
This movie entertains from the very first scene to the last… beautifully edited and leaves no time to even wonder when it will end. The audience stays busy watching Paul Dano coax that gigantic crowd of ragtag investors from Reddit to “HODL with Diamond hands” and “stick-it” to the big hedge fund managers.
The film weaves rivetingly from character to character watching them all slowly realize what was happening with escalating thrills.
Yes, this story is classic David vs Goliath, and it’s great to see David win.
I want to thank ‘Fons PR’ for inviting us to see the pre-release screening, and Alamo Drafthouse Mueller for providing a fantastic venue.
I give this film a solid 4 stars for its sheer entertainment value.