A Lot or a Little?
What you will—and won't—find in this movie.
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Positive Messages
a little
While the villains get away clean in this David vs. Goliath story, the movie leaves off with a message of hope, assuring viewers that the GameStop stock buyers actually did manage to change things and that there's always hope for the "little guy."
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Positive Role Models
a little
Keith Gill is an interesting person. He's rebelling against a broken system, he follows the rules, he stays true to his convictions, he has discipline (demonstrated in his dedication to running), and he even comes out ahead in the end. But his methods and attitude are irreverent, sometimes even combative. So, despite the blow he struck for the "little guy," he's not 100% admirable. He's like a naughtier version of Robin Hood.
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Diverse Representations
a little
White men dominate the story, especially among the wealthy, elite villains. Main character Keith Gill (Paul Dano) is White. Women in his life feel somewhat sidelined, largely there to react to him or provide comfort or inspiration. More diversity in supporting cast, with "lovable misfit" GameStop investors played by actors including Honduran American actor America Ferrera, Puerto Rican actor Anthony Ramos, and Black actor Myha'la Herrold. Indian American performer Rushi Kota plays a crooked CEO of Robinhood. Herrold's character is also in a same-sex relationship with Harmony (Talia Ryder). Less positively, the word "retard" is used jokingly by Redditors.
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Violence & Scariness
very little
A character cuts her foot on broken glass; there's a slight bloodstain on her sock, and the wound gets bandaged. Stressful moments. Reference to "death threats." Arguing. Character throws something that looks like excrement at a glass door.
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Sex, Romance & Nudity
a little
Game at a college party involves one woman holding her hand down another woman's underwear for as long as possible. Kissing. Two men go running naked; their bare bottoms are briefly seen. Strong sex-related dialogue and imagery, sometimes seen or heard for only a few seconds. "Sexy dancing" at pool party, sexual gestures. Flirting.
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Language
a lot
Extremely strong, constant language includes "f--k," "s--t," "motherf----r," "p---y," "a--hole," "s--tballs," "bulls--t," "c--k," the "N" word (in song lyrics), "goddamn," "ass," "retard," "bitch," "ho," "bastard," "damn," "schmuck," "booty," "balls," "pr--k," "d--k," "crap." "Jesus" used as an exclamation. Middle-finger gestures.
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Products & Purchases
a lot
Many real products and companies referenced and shown, including GameStop, Reddit, YouTube, TikTok, Heineken beer, Hamm's beer, Staples, DoorDash, Honda Accord, Dick's, KFC, etc.
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Drinking, Drugs & Smoking
some
Main character drinks beer or champagne whenever he's making videos. Character smokes a bong in more than one scene. Bottles of liquor at college party. Social drinking. A character makes a joke, pretending to "snort" his smartphone like cocaine. Character is served champagne on plane; the flight attendant then promises "something stronger." Wealthy character has a huge wine collection.
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Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that Dumb Money is a comedy based on the true story of GameStop stock unexpectedly taking Wall Street by storm in 2021. It's busy and flashy but also very funny and surprisingly good at explaining the complex details of the story. Language is extremely strong and constant, with uses of "f--k," "s--t," "motherf----r," "p---y," "a--hole," and much more. There are also some strong but brief sex-related images and dialogue, as well as kissing, bare male bottoms, and a party game in which one woman holds her hand inside another woman's underwear. Many characters drink, mostly socially and never to excess; one character smokes a bong more than once. Violence isn't really an issue, but you can expect a few stressful moments, arguments, threats, and a minor injury as well. Many brands/companies are shown or mentioned, notably GameStop, TikTok, Reddit, and YouTube. Paul Dano and Seth Rogen star. To stay in the loop on more movies like this, you can sign up for weekly Family Movie Night emails.
What's the Story?
In DUMB MONEY, Keith Gill (Paul Dano) is a low-level financial analyst and a part-time Redditor and YouTuber who likes to chat about the stock market. He explains to his viewers why he thinks GameStop is a good stock -- and, indeed, he has literally put his money where his mouth is, investing more than $50,000 of his and his wife Carlone's (Shailene Woodley) savings in the company. Meanwhile, wealthy hedge fund manager Gabe Plotkin (Seth Rogen) is trying to "short" the stock by betting against it, attempting to run the company out of business. Keith's posts start to gain traction, and several small-time and amateur investors -- including nurse Jenny (America Ferrera), GameStop store employee Marcus (Anthony Ramos), and in-debt college students Riri (Myha'la) and Harmony (Talia Ryder) -- begin to buy into GameStop, too. Soon these amateur investors make an actual dent in the market, stirring things up, increasing their wealth, and eventually prompting a congressional inquiry.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about how accurate you think Dumb Money is to what actually happened in real life. How do you suppose the filmmakers might have changed it to tell their version of the story?
The movie is set during the COVID-19 pandemic. How does it depict that time? How is death shown or discussed?
What did you learn about the stock market from watching this movie? Were you encouraged to learn more or invest money? Why, or why not?
Do you consider Keith Gill a role model? Why, or why not?
Did the heroes win here? Did the villains lose? What does this story look like moving forward?
Movie Details
- In theaters: September 15, 2023
- On DVD or streaming: November 7, 2023
- Cast: Paul Dano, Pete Davidson, America Ferrera
- Director: Craig Gillespie
- Inclusion Information: Female actors, Latino actors, Female writers
- Studios: Columbia Pictures, Sony Pictures Releasing
- Genre: Comedy
- Run time: 104 minutes
- MPAA rating: R
- MPAA explanation: pervasive language, sexual material, and drug use
- Last updated: May 17, 2024
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