Dumb Money (15)
Directed by Craig Gillespie

BASED on the insane true story of how ordinary people turned the tables on Wall Street during the pandemic by making a packet as they transformed GameStop — the video game retailer — into a hot stock investment phenomenon.

It is the ultimate David v Goliath tale which centres on everyday guy and father of one Keith Gill (Paul Dano), aka YouTuber Roaring Kitty, who became a folk hero when he invested his life savings of $53,000 on a stock tip on the brick and mortar company that became a movement.

The film shows how Gill and his staunch followers and fellow investors crucially held their nerve and became wealthy in January 2021 when hedge fund billionaires started to lose billions.

In response swift action was taken with the game rigged against these gate-crashing retail investors dubbed “dumb money” by Wall Street Croesuses.

Directed by Craig Gillespie (Cruella, I,Tonya) Dumb Money is a riveting crowd pleasing drama full of humour which also follows the stories of some of the people Gill inspired to follow his lead and invest in GameStop such as a nurse (America Ferrera), a shop assistant at GameStop (Anthony Ramos) and two college friends (Talia Ryder and Myha’la Herrold).

You can’t help but root for them and punch the air when they delivered a bloody nose to these greedy uber-entitled hedge fund owners.  

Although a complex tale full of financial terminology, not always fully explained, Gillespie makes it engaging due in great part to a excellent performance by Dano, in a kitty T-shirt and wearing a red bandana around his head.

Also his superlative supporting cast which includes Shailene Woodley as his wife, Seth Rogen as one of the hedge fund bosses and Pete Davison who provides the comic relief as his annoying and critical brother.

The film taps into the outrage about the lack of accountability as these billionaire hedge fund managers get off scot-free despite fleecing millions — which will make your blood boil.

Out in cinemas Friday