Dumb Money

What seems dumb ends up being... kinda dumb but entertaining regardless! This film addresses the dumb media frenzy behind the Gamestop Stock Market within the last few years. This was an actual event and was surprising to most. That being said, much of this is likely fictionalized. That being said, as Dean once said in Supernatural: "It is compelling, though." This is the review of "Dumb Money"!

PLOT: A bit back and forth?

The film itself can be... kinda hard to keep up with. It's clearly trying to be a bit out-of-order, but there's no real reason for it as the only thing we see out of order is the cold open for the film. Truth be told, it would be better to just open on the plot.

CHARACTERS: Engaging, but clearly actors...

My biggest issue with the film was its focus on hiring actors and not really having them do much. Granted, the actors are talented and come across very well, but many of them are... distracting. Seth Rogen is especially egregious as, despite a great performance, I was just distracted by him being Seth Rogen. With actors like Vincent D'Onofrio and Sebastian Stan, this can be distracting. However, with actors like Paul Dano and surprisingly Shailene Woodley and Pete Davidson, their performances enhance the film. The main trio give very inspired and believable performances as these people seeing monumental changes within a few months. The people who came to bat are very clear as opposed to actors who did not.

SHOTS: Nothing to scream home about!

Film isn't shot in a way that's either inspired like the Cornetto Trilogy or just interesting like a Quentin Tarantino flick. This movie just feels a bit... dull. Many movies suffer from flat direction, especially comedies. I'd rather have a film do something unique with the camera in order to better illustrate a character. That being said, the composition is okay and there's nothing abysmal about this movie.

SOUND: Again, nothing big here.

A composition done by a composer with no real credits behind his name? That tracks, considering the music isn't impressive and neither is any of the sound quality. It's a bland, easy-to-make soundtrack that is barely noticeable. Kinda sad about that, wish movies would get creative with elements like this.

WRITING: Sharp, funny, and poignant.

By god, this movie knows its writing and manages to make you care about even the people who are just actor stand-ins. I felt something when I saw Pete Davidson crying in a scene, I felt the frustration from Clancy Brown over his son being dumb with his money (heh.) These scenes elevate it from a dumb flick to a genuine little film with heart.

CONS: A little dumb?

If you can't tell already, I really think the film could've tried harder in multiple categories. The worst thing to say about a film is that it's BORING. Make your film have something that stands out, whether it be the performances, the direction, the shots, or even just the music. Solo is a meh movie held up by great acting and an absolutely amazing soundtrack. The Dark Knight is remembered for its moments despite running way too long because of the amazing performance by Joker. Make your movie worth remembering!

LITTLE THINGS: Paul Dano is always a win!

I have recently seen more of him and he's such a delight in any performance I see from him. He's never turned in a bad performance and more people should be noticing him as one of the great character actors alongside underrated actors like Djimon Hounsou or Andy Serkis. Terrific actors all around and they deserve more attention. Also, Shailene Woodley making her comeback to acting after years of being in minor movies! She was so good too.

VERDICT: A dumb flick with some great moments.

A couple weeks ago, I was gonna be way nicer to this movie. Then, the review got held off by work and I felt way too tired to continue writing. When this comes out, I'll have written up to four reviews and published them in bulk. I will be out of nice things to say, but I can definitely say that this film is worth a watch. Maybe it sits on your DVD shelf for a couple years and you pull it out to rewatch every once in a while, but at least it is worth some dumb money.

SCORE: 7.5/10