Whether you understand how the stock market works or not, this is a fun story that pits the little guy against billionaires, all because he liked GameStop stock. Pay attention and you‘ll get the gist, a few laughs, and probably learn something from this formidable cast as they dole out plenty of satire. Based on a true story, it’s a little confusing unless you already understand how short selling in the stock market works.
Why do people buy stocks? Just for profit, or because they like the company, and want to support it. This film showcases the one guileless guy who used his platform on social media to become an influencer. Without knowing, he created a buying frenzy recommending stock in GameStop in 2021, doing the exact opposite of what was depicted in The Big Short. The Wall Street power brokers were betting they could feed off the bones of dying company at the expense of the retail investor. That’s what they call “dumb money.”
Director Craig Gillespie (Cruella, I, Tonya) tackles this situation by pitting social media influencer, Keith Gill (Paul Dano) known as Roaring Kitty vs. Wall Street hedge fund billionaires who were manipulating the market to get more. They include Gabe Plotkin (Seth Rogen), Ken Griffin (Nick Offerman), and Steve Cohen (Vincent D’Onofrio).
Dano plays the regular working stiff with no money, holed in a tiny house along with wife (Shailene Woodley) and their baby. Keith sits in front of the computer webcam wearing a red headband and a kitty mask in his basement putting out his own rough analysis of stocks he thinks are worth buying. Looks like he had a good time with this role. When Keith encourages a buy on GameStop because, as he says, he “likes the company,” his social media audience starts believing in him.
It’s fun watching Gill’s family’s interactions, especially with brother Kevin (Pete Davidson), a clueless stoner loser who can’t tell the difference between Jimmy Buffet and Warren. Even though Davidson is delivering a predicitable loudmouth character, much like himself and other characters he’s played, Kevin shows some endearing family loyalty. Shailene Woodley ís almost non-existent as Gill’s wife and support system. She’s underused in her role.
Writers Lauren Schuler Blum, Rebecca Angelo and Ben Mezricj have the most fun introducing us to the other regular little guys following Roaring Kitty’s investing advice. Jenny (America Ferrera) is a nurse struggling with debt who puts all her faith in the GameStop play. Marcus (Anthony Ramos) is cast as a GameStop mall-store employee who knows the company from the inside. Working there is a soul sucking experience so he also puts his faith and money into sticking it the rich guys as well as his demeaning hostile manager Brad (Dane DeHaan).
Director Gillespie and the writers craft the hedge fund money barons, played by Rogen), D’Onofrio and Offerman as amoral predators. Even though they are losing billions as their short selling positions crumble, all but Rogen’s character seem largely unconcerned. As Masters of the Universe they know, at the end of the day they will still be ok and could care less about the little guy. The hedge fund guys hoped that they could ignore the GameStop issue and it would just go away.
We felt we had to work too hard to follow the story line as the script jumps from character to character and doesn’t always adequately give a cogent, understandable explanation of how the process works. It’s like we’re all left being as clueless as brother Kevin. And the editing of the subtitles labeling who each character is and then what happened to all of them at the end of the movie are too small and not left on screen long enough to digest.
You may lose count of how many millions keep going back and forth, but it’s fun watching the values goes up for Dano’s Keith and his followers, and down for the hedge fund cabal. What happened there went all the way to a Congressional hearing. Gillespie does a good job showing that loyalty to the underdog, can sometimes turn the tables on rich dudes, all from throwing dumb money at a Roaring Kitty.
Columbia Pictures 1 hour 44 minutes R
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Ema
