Greetings again from the darkness. Successful businesspeople always intrigue me – especially visionary founders and true entrepreneurs – those who actually bring something new to the market. Henry Ford, Steve Jobs, Bill Gates, and Elon Musk all fit the description … although to clarify, I do not assume their business acumen translates into moral integrity or empathetic humanity. Writer-director Rachel Lee Goldenberg and writer Bill Parker (previous collaborators on UNPREGNANT, 2020) and writer Kim Caramele take on the somewhat tricky project of profiling Whitney Wolfe.
Ms. Wolfe, played here by Lily James (CINDERELLA, 2015; BABY DRIVER, 2017) was the brains behind two successful dating apps, Tinder and Bumble. While the story is “inspired by actual events”, telling Whitney’s story is complicated by the fact that she remains under the terms of a Tinder NDA … the filmmakers weren’t even allowed to speak with her. Instead, reading the lawsuit documents and researching interviews from those who were around as she made her mark provided the outline of this talented, ambitious woman who rose to the top in a sea of Tech Bros.
The film opens in 2012 Los Angeles when Whitney first crossed paths with Sean Rad (Ben Schnetzer, 7 DAYS IN ENTEBBE, 2017), the founder of Hatch Labs/Tinder. Her ingenuity and creative mind helped Tinder explode in popularity by taking the app directly to the college students she identified as the initial target market. We feel the energy in the room as the Tinder team watches their success literally click off on a digital counter mounted in the office. That euphoric energy is soon replaced by a much different vibe for Whitney and the other female co-workers.
One of the best features of the film is how it portrays Whitney and her experience with the male-dominated Tech Bros. Sexual harassment, misogyny, and a straight-faced mentor who lies to her face lead to her anxiety and paranoia. Even other women in the company are frustrated that she hasn’t used her power – in fact, Whitney has a collision between ambition and wanting to do things the right way. When is the line crossed for toxic behavior? What to ‘let slide’ and when to ‘stand up’ is the dilemma facing Whitney and scores of other women.
When the breakdown finally occurs and Whitney is recruited by Badoo founder Andrey Andeev (Dan Stevens with a Russian accent). Her perfect scenario of creating an app that shifts dating dynamics from a work environment that rewards proper behavior and quality of production is nearly shattered by a repeat of past evils. However, we see how Whitney has grown as a person and takes responsibility for ensuring things are done correctly in her environment. It ends up as a feel-good story of redemption.
An excellent supporting cast also consists of Clea DuVall, an excellent Myha’la, Jackson White, and Pierson Fode. The main criticism would be with the camera work. The bouncing handheld technique is overused for a story that creates its own energy. It would be a mistake to wave this off as a “Me Too” film, despite it fitting squarely in the space. More importantly, it’s a reflection of real-life workspaces and how one trailblazer found the right path and became the youngest female self-made billionaire … certainly a story worth telling.
20th Century Studios’ SWIPED releases on Hulu on September 19, 2025.
Posted by David Ferguson 
Greetings again from the darkness. Marlon Brando was a true Hollywood legend. Renowned for his performances in such movies as A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE (1951), ON THE WATERFRONT (1954), and of course, THE GODFATHER (1972). He was nominated for eight Oscars, winning three. Despite his on-screen fame, Brando was an enigma in life. Sexual escapades, a commitment to causes, a neighbor and friend to Jack Nicholson, and his own French Polynesian island contributed to the mystique. It’s that private island which writer-director Bill Fishman (nearly a 40-year career of music videos) focuses on here.
Greetings again from the darkness. I recently watched NAKED AMBITION, a documentary on Bunny Yeager – a woman who excelled as a pinup in front of the camera as well as a photographer behind it. This film from writer-director Thomas Mignone (best known for his music videos) made for the perfect follow-up. While Bunny Yeager refused to join in to the shift towards more extreme content in the 1970’s and 1980’s, Mignone’s subject, Vanessa del Rio, not only carved out a career, she also became quite famous for her erotic and explicit films of the era.
Greetings again from the darkness. There is no obvious explanation for my connection to and appreciation of Tim Blake Nelson on the big screen … well … other than his talent. He certainly doesn’t possess the traditional attributes of a movie star, yet that’s exactly what he is. Not only is he one of the most dependable character actors around (see O BROTHER WHERE ART THOU and MINORITY REPORT), but he’s also terrific in lead roles (see OLD HENRY and ASLEEP IN MY PALM). With this latest film, director Vincent Grashaw and screenwriter Will Janowitz (who also has a role in the film) benefit from the actor’s audacious and fearless performance.
Greetings again from the darkness. Most of us scoot through life never being labeled as “the prettiest” anything. That’s fine. We accept it. Still, we apply the label periodically and it was Bunny Yeager who was known as “the world’s prettiest photographer”. Not many would argue with the designation as Ms. Yeager was an incredibly talented photographer, while also being described as a bombshell … a pinup model and actress herself.
Greetings again from the darkness. Having one’s name or work associated Hitler typically (but somehow not always these days) marks one as a pariah or persona non grata. For artists, the rules can be a bit blurred, and filmmaker Andres Veiel takes on the story of Leni Riefenstahl, in hopes of removing some of the blur.
Greetings again from the darkness. Ben Masters’ follow-up to his outstanding documentary, DEEP IN THE HEART: A TEXAS WILDLIFE STORY (2022) is even more stunning, more remarkable, and more important. Narrated by environmentalist, model, and actress Quannah Chasinghorse, the breathtaking photography is complemented by a history lesson and cautionary warnings about where things are headed.
Greetings again from the darkness. For fourteen-year-olds, there’s often very little difference in passion for something and obsession with that same thing. Writer-director Nicholas Colia (reimagining his 2017 short film, ALEX AND THE HANDYMAN) brings us the coming-of-age story of Griffin (a fantastic newcomer in Everett Blunck), whose passion for art is undeniable and plays a role in his newfound obsession (this time we can tell the difference).
Greetings again from the darkness. The reality of today’s world is that some folks aspire to ‘go viral’ on social media, while others struggle to imagine anything worse. There are those who dream of being famous – even if it’s for only a moment in time. Others value anonymity to the point where they can’t imagine giving that up. This first feature film from writer-director Gustavo Martin and co-writers Matt Anthony and Vishy Ayyar touches on this very topic. By drawing from Ayyar’s real life (he also stars), we see how one of the reluctant types can use unsolicited fame as an advantage … a means to an end.
Greetings again from the darkness. This is the type of movie that almost begs to be criticized, while at the same time, deserves to be enjoyed for being exactly what it tries to be. Author Richard Osman now has five books in this series, and the first has been adapted by co-writers Katy Brand (GOOD LUCK TO YOU, LEO GRANDE, 2022) and Suzanne Heathcote (“Fear the Walking Dead”). It’s directed by Chris Columbus, known for HOME ALONE (1990), MRS DOUBTFIRE (1993) and a couple of the Harry Potter movies. These are professionals who know how to entertain … and just as importantly, they know how to cast.
Movie Reviews from the Dark 