Swiped (2025) - Film Review

      Swiped, 2025.

      Directed by Rachel Lee Goldenberg.

      Featuring Lily James, Ben Schnetzer, Myha’la, Jackson White, Dan Stevens, Ian Colletti, Mary Neely, Ana Yi Puig, Aidan Laprete, Pedro Correa, Coral Peña, Pierson Fodé, Hannah Marks, Olivia Rose Keegan, Hunter Sansone, Larken Woodward, Gabe Kessler, Dermot Mulroney, and Clea DuVall.

      SYNOPSIS:

      Inspired by the story of Whitney Wolfe Herd, the founder and former CEO of the dating app Bumble.

      The claim that apps represent the future, particularly through their gamification, is a somewhat disheartening notion that a film could explore at a societal level. This is especially pertinent when considering the focus is on online dating platforms, with Rachel Lee Goldenberg’s Swiped serving as a biopic about Whitney Wolfe Herd (played by Lily James), who began her journey as a co-founder of Tinder amidst a toxic tech culture.

      Collaborating with Bill Parker and Kim Caramele, Rachel Lee Goldenberg leans towards a narrative of female empowerment, which could be positive if the representation of these events didn't seem so contrived. It must also be noted that while the film is inspired by true events, it is significantly dramatized (likely through composite characters and other storytelling techniques). This distinction is particularly evident when the atmosphere at the tech company unexpectedly becomes misogynistic, with a boss/boyfriend displaying erratic behavior towards Whitney. The film's frequent time jumps contribute to a sense that these shifts are more a matter of forced dramatization than authentic insight.

      However, it’s important to acknowledge that Whitney’s personal story retains its credibility, and she deserves to be believed. Yet, this film's portrayal of the events often feels unconvincing, as if the creators prioritized appealing to the empowerment audience over authentic storytelling, resulting in a shallow depiction. The film repeatedly highlights that society is moving toward a reality where everything, including online dating apps, is gamified for maximum engagement, without addressing the drawbacks of this trend. Even when discussing Whitney’s dating experiences, one partner is reduced to a mere background character, humorously existing to be presented to the audience as one of the "good ones," reinforcing that the self-made billionaire found her happy ending, which curiously had nothing to do with online dating.

      This film does not examine how Tinder and Bumble have shaped the dating landscape (one criticized for its failure to tackle rampant sexual harassment and the other celebrated for its female-focused approach to connections) but rather focuses on how Whitney Wolfe, initially driven by the desire to create an app for humanitarian connections, shifted her ambitions and thrived in the dating app market. This angle is frustrating, especially in a year when Celine Song’s Materialists has already critiqued the damaging transformation of dating into a competitive game centered on comparisons rather than authentic human connections. The negative experiences users have faced with these apps become an uncomfortable punchline in a scene featuring a college graduate working for Tinder, sorting through and deleting reported inappropriate images.

      One redeeming aspect of Swiped (aside from the performances) is that it addresses these toxic work environments while engaging in a discussion about accountability, highlighting that not all offenders openly display their problematic behavior, particularly towards women who would strongly oppose it. Midway through the film, after her negative experiences with male colleagues and supervisors at Tinder, Whitney is recruited by European businessman Andrey (a notably transformed Dan Stevens), who has already established a presence in the online dating market in Europe and seeks her expertise to expand into the American market. He recognizes her contributions—from the Tinder name to the modern swiping feature—and treats her and her team of female partners with respect, providing them with the necessary resources.

      Since this story is based on real events, it is acceptable to suggest that there might still be hidden aspects in his background. The film's strongest point lies in Whitney’s navigation through scandals and the contrasts between her experiences.

      The downside, however, is that it becomes easy to overlook Whitney's errors, like her attempts to assimilate into the male-dominated environment prior to the escalation of toxicity. While this approach serves the girl boss narrative, it fails to capture what truly makes Swiped or Whitney Wolfe compelling. Tinder and Bumble have significantly altered the dating landscape, yielding both positive and harmful consequences. Rachel Lee Goldenberg opted to dismiss that complexity in favor of a more superficial and broadly uplifting storyline.

      Flickering Myth Rating – Film: ★ ★ / Movie: ★ ★

      Robert Kojder