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wet_fart2000
Reviews
To Catch a Smuggler: Internal Investigation (2020)
Informative, but not the way they meant
In this show we learn about American exceptionalism and the dangers of propaganda.
First up, a suspected smuggler in Miami. Having traveled from South America, this man rubs his back and leans on a table. The CBP supervisor describes this as a key indicator of having rectal cocaine.
He actually does, but also has an opioid addiction. He is taken from the hospital and locked in a cell just as the withdrawal kicks in. Duty of care is not a concept known to the CBP supervisor who gloats at his suffering.
Next up, a sniffer dog in NYC. He is a good boy.
Then the sniffer dog in Miami. He gets upset that he doesn't always find things. He is a human. Instead of being happy that there were no drugs today, he is upset that the border of the USA is respected. Perhaps he also needs planted drugs to prevent depression like an actual sniffer dog.
Also in this segment, destroying goods from overseas, probing food with unsanitary tools in unsanitary conditions then saying it's "good to go".
Finally, LAX, where the concept of savings is so alien to CBP that they investigate a man because he can afford holidays and expect to find printed CVs/resumes in bags to prove intent to work.
This show is a horror story for anyone living in or visiting the USA. Is everyone at CBP as evil as this?
Dumb Money (2023)
To the moon
Dumb Money is a semi-historical partial biopic of the man who took Gamestop stock to the moon, and its impact on the financial world.
This movie charts the events of memestock, when in 2021 r/WallStreetBets took on one a series of major hedge funds in the USA, exposing the lie that is the "free market". Packed with some incredible acting chops in the form of Paul Dano, Seth Rogen (seriously), America Ferrera, and somehow an excellent performance from Pete Davidson, I was captivated from start to finish.
The film trod similar ground to The Big Short but infused with memes and videos from the actual event, benefiting from being made only a year or so after the end of the saga. Having been a redditor during that time, I laughed hard at some of the more obscure references and easter eggs, leading to funny looks from my fellow less-online cinema-goers.
If you enjoy laughing at the state of financial institutions, the absurdity of unchecked late stage capitalism, and Paul Dano being weird, while simultaneously dying inside at the fact that this is the reality in which we live, this movie is for you. If, however, you dislike critiques of libertarianism and greed, this is not for you.
Bank of Dave (2023)
A warm and charming love letter to the north
A warm and charming love letter to the north, but not as captivating as I had hoped it would be.
This is the story of an everyman who wants to start a local bank to serve the community, told through the lens of the high-flying London lawyer hired to handle the paperwork. Romance and self-discover abound.
Rory Kinnear does a good job of portraying working man done good Dave Fishwick. He brings a particular sense of northern soul to the proceedings without becoming a caricature.
Joel Fry, who plays protagonist Hugh, performs his standard lovesick lost puppy act, although it seems to work here in contrast to his character's sharp legal mind.
All of this comes together to form a David Vs Goliath infused personal melodrama.
Ultimately a fun watch with some good performances, but nothing to write home about.