If you understood the GameStop shock of 2021, “Dumb Money” probably isn’t for you.
For the rest of us, it’s a smart way to grasp the wild trading situation that rocked the stock market.
Told through the eyes of little guys – dabblers in the market – it shows how a YouTuber was able to make a killing just by encouraging his followers to hold on to GameStop.
A flood of investors inflated the video game store’s value and, in turn, gave several hedge funds a real wakeup call. In essence, the little guy fought back and won.
Paul Dano stars as Keith Gill, the savant known as Roaring Kitty. He sees the kind of impact he can have and leans into transparency – something richer investors weren’t willing to do.
In the process, director Craig Gillespie shows how the market’s volatility affects dabblers – like a nurse (America Ferrera), a GameStop clerk (Anthony Ramos) and Keith’s brother Kevin (Pete Davidson), a DoorDash driver.
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That brings the story home (in a much more distinct way than “The Big Short”) and gives everyone a point of reference when the game heats up.
Gillespie shows the other side as well – Seth Rogen is one of those hedge fund guys -- and lets us see the haves sweat what the have-nots have been sweating for years.
Like a cinematic CliffsNotes, “Dumb Money” shows how a generation could shift fortunes just by banding together. Gillespie uses plenty of techniques to tell the story (he’s practically your favorite business teacher) and isn’t afraid to lean into absurdity just to hold interest. Davidson, most of all, intrigues because he’s clearly not made for the trading game. He’s like lesser characters in “I, Tonya,” Gillespie’s absurd take on the Tonya Harding scandal.
When Davidson teams with Dano, â€Dumb Money” has the spark of comedies that colored their teenage years.
Dano – so effective as the father in “The Fabelmans” – shows how deft he is at playing a host of characters. You buy his innocence and cheer his determination.
While his wife (nicely played by Shailene Woodley) is eager to get out of the game, she remains supportive and, in the end, sees how revolutionary her husband’s moves were.
As scrappy as Gillespie’s “Pam & Tommy,” “Dumb Money” fits neatly in a genre that few are willing to attempt. It takes a clear understanding of the situation and a willingness to point up its absurdity. It’s compelling. But if you don’t have skin in the game, it’s also highly rewarding.