Dumb Money
Dumb Money
A regular guy sinks his life savings into the stock of videogame store GameStop and starts posting about it. When his social posts start blowing up and a stock tip becomes a movement, everyone gets rich, until the billionaires fight back.
Manuel Frangis reviewedApril 16, 2025
I just watched Dumb Money, and I give it 4 out of 5 stars. This movie surprised me in a really good way. I thought it was just going to be another Wall Street drama, but it turned out to be way more fun, way more emotional, and honestly kind of inspiring. It takes something as confusing and frustrating as the stock market and somehow turns it into a fast-paced underdog story that actually makes sense — and makes you care.
It is all based on the true story of the GameStop stock explosion that happened in 2021. When regular people on Reddit decided to take on hedge funds and drive up the stock price, it became this huge moment where everyone realized just how rigged the system can be. Dumb Money tells that story, but instead of focusing on the billionaires, it focuses on the little guys. And that is what makes it work.
Paul Dano plays Keith Gill, the YouTuber and everyday investor who kicked everything off. His performance is great. He is quiet, passionate, and just a normal guy who really believes in what he is doing. You feel how much he cares, and that makes the whole story feel personal. He is not trying to get rich quick — he just believes regular people should not always get crushed by the system. And that message really comes through.
The movie has a great cast. Pete Davidson adds some comic relief as Keith’s brother, and he has some of the funniest lines. America Ferrera plays a nurse who puts her savings into GameStop, and her scenes are full of emotion. Seth Rogen, Nick Offerman, and Vincent D’Onofrio all play hedge fund billionaires, and they bring just the right amount of arrogance and panic to make you root against them. You can feel the tension from both sides, and that keeps the story moving.
The pacing is tight, and the editing is sharp. There is a lot going on — multiple characters, tons of internet slang, financial terms, live streams, and legal drama — but it never feels overwhelming. The movie breaks it all down in a way that makes it feel clear and exciting without dumbing it down. It uses humor and real internet posts to help tell the story, and that mix gives it a cool, modern style that fits the subject perfectly.
It also taps into something deeper — the frustration that so many people feel about money, power, and being constantly underestimated. You watch these characters take a risk, stand up for something, and fight back in their own way. And yeah, it gets messy, and not everything turns out perfectly, but it still feels like a win. It is about taking the system that always wins and shaking it for once.
I give Dumb Money 4 out of 5 stars because it is smart, funny, and actually says something important. It shows how one small voice can turn into a movement, and it does it without being preachy or boring. It is a true story, but it plays like a great drama with just the right amount of energy and heart. Overall Dumb Money is a solid, fast-moving film that turns a real-life financial moment into something personal, emotional, and way more fun than I expected. It made me think, it made me laugh, and it made me remember that sometimes regular people do get to win.