Dumb Money (2023)

In 2020 Keith Gill (Paul Dano), a husband and father of one, decided to tell the world about GameStop–a stock that was worth next to nothing, but he liked it. He simply told the world that he had a good feeling, that he thought there was potential for investors to make a bit of cash if they were willing to take a risk. Quickly, though, Keith threw himself into a world of hedge fund managers, as he began making Dumb Money–along with all the people that followed him. With billions of dollars on the line, Keith is in for the fight of his life.

Dano has quickly become one of the most talented actors in Hollywood. He’s played roles in comedies, dramas, independent films, and more–and no matter where he finds himself, he delivers. Once again, Dano leads a film that requires precision, comedy, and everything in between. Dumb Money, while it may appear like a simple film, requires a level of expertise and attention that I’m not sure that many actors could have pulled off. Dano was the right person for the job, being perfectly funny, interestingly aggressive, and effective in every way.

The slew of actors that act across from Dano is impressive. America Ferrera (Jenny), Nick Offerman (Ken Griffin), Sebastian Stan (Vlad Tenev), Pete Davidson (Kevin Gill), and more take the stage to bring this true story to life. The person that most impressed, however, (other than Dano of course) was Davidson. The role of Kevin seems to be the perfect fit for Davidson, as he gets to be the fan-favorite funny dumbass, but he has the opportunity to showcase a level of emotion and sophistication that I didn’t know he possessed. There are times when he steals the show, and the comedy that I’ve always struggled to appreciate reached out, grabbed me by the throat, and kept me entertained for nearly two hours.

Dumb Money showcases a motley crew of characters that range from smug multi-billionaires to living-in-their-mother’s-basement DoorDash drivers. They all exist on level ground here, and I think it’s so important that viewers are able to see them in such a way. Dumb Money effectively tells viewers that you don’t need money to make money, but it helps–and that, no matter what, you should be able to fight for financial success and freedom. While many of the characters are wildly different from one another, the film always presents them in a way that allows them to appear human, and allows them to be accessible to viewers. I was able to see myself in the shoes of billionaire Gabe Plotkin (Seth Rogen) just as well as I was able to see myself in the role of Marcus Barcia (Anthony Ramos), a GameStop employee. This accessibility is a massive reason why Dumb Money remains so entertaining from beginning to end.

With all of that being said, however, Director Craig Gillespie does a stellar job of shining specific lights on characters, expressing with great aplomb the way in which viewers are meant to feel about them at any given moment–particularly when each character is first introduced. Gillespie and his team use the stellar soundtrack to introduce new characters and further develop the leads throughout the course of Dumb Money. At no point are viewers lost on the personalities of the characters, at no point do we wonder where they stand financially or morally–and that invites viewers further into the film.

A biography about something that happened just two years ago seems risky. Are we far enough removed from the event to be able to appreciate it, and does this story have the right characters to bring it to life in a way that the world can understand and enjoy? The answer to both of those questions is “yes.” From the smallest characters all the way up the line to Keith, viewers are enthralled by who they see on screen–being able to access each and every one of them along the way. Dumb Money is really smart and perfectly funny, and not a second passes that viewers won’t love this film. It now sits high on a list of spectacular films from 2023.

Directed by Craig Gillespie.

Written by Lauren Schuker Blum, Rebecca Angelo, & Ben Mezrich.

Starring Paul Dano, Pete Davidson, Vincent D’Onofrio, America Ferrera, Myha’la Herrold, Nick Offerman, Anthony Ramos, Seth Rogen, Talia Ryder, Sebastian Stan, Shailene Woodley, Kate Burton, Clancy Brown, Rushi Kota, Larry Owens, Dane DeHaan, Olivia Thirlby, etc.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/10