‘Dumb Money’ the real story behind the movie

 Dumb Money dramatizes the true story behind working class Redditors turned investors who flipped Wall Street on its head. Currently out in limited theaters and expanding in the coming weeks, director Craig Gillespie’s comedy-drama, written by Lauren Schuker Blum and Rebecca Angelo, weaves together multiple storylines to bring to life the GameStop saga of 2021. That story, which dominated headlines while many were stuck at home during the days of the Omicron variant, has its roots in the practice by mega hedge funds to invest stock in companies like the gaming retailer, with the hopes for a short selling, an investment strategy that looks to profit from their falling stock prices. And those top dogs appear in Dumb Money, in the form of characters played by Nick Offerman, Seth Rogen, and Vincent D’Onofrio.

Paul Dano plays our hero here, Keith Gill, a new dad from the Boston suburbs who goes online to advise anyone listening about his stock picks wearing a red headband and colorful, cat-themed T-shirts. “I wouldn’t take investment advice from a guy in a cat shirt,” one character warns. But they do.

Gill was bullish on one particular company — GameStop, the struggling retail chain that sells video games and accessories. Large institutional Wall Street firms were betting the company would continue to flounder and parked money on losses.

But a bunch of people, already believing the system is rigged against them, are ready to take investment advice from an excitable dude in a cat shirt. Keith inspires others around the country to also buy GameStop stock including nurse Jennifer (America Ferrera), college students Riri (Myha’la Herrold) and Harmony (Talia Ryder), and GameStop store clerk Marcus (Anthony Ramos). The price skyrockets, they get rich. Keith makes millions and wealthy Wall Streeters who initially bet against the stock lose billions, leading hedge fund CEOs Gabe Plotkin (Seth Rogen), Steve Cohen (Vincent D’Onofrio) and Ken Griffin (Nick Offerman) to enter the fray with their considerable power.

Gillespie, who had been at UTA, directed and produced Sony and Black Bear feature Dumb Money, which premiered this month at the Toronto Film Festival to great critical and audience acclaim, opened September 15 in limited release and is set to go wide September 29. The pic will continue screening throughout the global festival circuit at the San Sebastian International Film Festival and the Zurich Film Festival in the weeks ahead. 

Other feature credits include The Finest Hours, Million Dollar Arm, the Fright Night remake, and Lars and the Real Girl, which starred Ryan Gosling.

While known primarily for his movies, Gillespie was the main helmer behind Hulu’s Emmy-nominated Pam & Tommy.

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Sarah H

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