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Movies: Swiped (2025) by Rachel Lee Goldenberg: The Rise of a "Girlboss" in a Tech Bro World

  • Writer: dailyentertainment95
    dailyentertainment95
  • Sep 19
  • 6 min read

A Biopic of Modern Dating's Pioneer Swiped is a 2025 biographical drama film directed by Rachel Lee Goldenberg. The film is inspired by the story of Whitney Wolfe Herd, the founder of the dating app Bumble, and her contentious departure from Tinder. The movie follows Whitney (Lily James) as she navigates the misogynistic world of Silicon Valley, from her early days helping to build Tinder into a global phenomenon to her eventual legal battle with the company's founders. The film frames her journey not just as a business story but as a narrative of female empowerment and resilience in the face of workplace harassment and betrayal.

Why to watch this movie: A Timely and Relevant Story This film is a relevant watch for anyone interested in the culture of the tech industry, the history of modern dating, and stories of female ambition.

  • A "Feminist" Take on the Tech Biopic: The film is a direct response to male-centric tech biopics like The Social Network. It tells a similar story of brilliant founders and cutthroat business, but from a perspective that focuses on the systemic misogyny and abuse that women face in these environments.

  • Lily James's Performance: Lily James delivers a compelling performance as Whitney Wolfe Herd. Critics have praised her ability to capture the mix of ambition, vulnerability, and resilience that defined Herd's journey.

  • A Story of "Corporate Revenge": The film's narrative arc, from Whitney's ostracization from Tinder to her triumphant return with Bumble, is a satisfying story of a woman who "gets her seat at the table" by creating her own table.

What Trend is followed?: The 'Tech Biopic' Swiped is part of a recent trend of films and TV series that fictionalize the origin stories of major tech companies.

  • "The Social Network" Effect: Following the critical success of The Social Network, Hollywood has been eager to tell similar stories of startup culture and the brilliant, often flawed, people behind them. Swiped fits squarely into this genre, alongside other films like BlackBerry and TV series like The Dropout and Super Pumped.

  • The Rise of Streaming Originals: As a film released directly on Hulu, Swiped also reflects the trend of major studios producing high-profile, "prestige" films for their streaming platforms, bypassing a wide theatrical release.

Director's Vision: The Personal is Political Rachel Lee Goldenberg's vision is to make a film that feels both personal and political. She uses Whitney's story as a microcosm for the larger issues of sexism and harassment that plague the modern workplace.

  • The Lived Experience of Misogyny: Goldenberg's direction aims to make the audience feel the "cumulative frustration and isolation" that Whitney experiences. By showing the various instances of her contributions being downplayed and her concerns minimized, the film serves as a portrait of systemic inequity.

  • Finding a Human Story in the Corporate World: The director's goal is to turn a business story into a human drama. She focuses on Whitney's emotional journey, from her initial idealism to her eventual paranoia and burnout, making the corporate battles feel personal and emotionally resonant.

Themes: Feminism, Workplace Misogyny, and The Price of Success The film's themes are deeply intertwined with its biographical subject matter.

  • The "Girlboss" Narrative: The film is a commentary on the "girlboss" trope, which celebrates individual female success without deconstructing the systemic issues that make that success so difficult to achieve. While the film is framed as an empowering story, some critics argue it oversimplifies the complexities of the tech world and focuses on "performative white-girl feminism."

  • The Banality of Workplace Harassment: The film shows that misogyny isn't always a dramatic, over-the-top event. It portrays harassment through a series of "sexist microaggressions" and casual dismissal, which makes it feel all the more insidious and realistic.

  • The Blurring of Personal and Professional Life: The film highlights how the line between Whitney's personal life and her career completely erodes. Her relationships with her colleagues and partners become entangled with her professional journey, leading to a toxic mix of betrayal and ambition.

Key success factors: An All-Star Cast and Timely Subject The film's success is driven by its strong cast and its ability to tap into a highly relevant cultural conversation.

  • Star Power: The casting of Lily James as the lead and the reunion of former Downton Abbey stars James and Dan Stevens (playing a Russian tech billionaire) generated significant buzz. Their performances are widely considered a highlight of the film.

  • Relevance to Modern Audiences: The story of dating apps and workplace sexism is a topic that resonates with a broad, contemporary audience. The film's ability to capitalize on this public interest made it a highly anticipated release.

  • TIFF Premiere: The film's premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival gave it a prestigious platform and allowed it to build a strong critical presence before its streaming release.

Awards and Nominations: A TIFF Premiere Swiped was an official selection at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), where it had its world premiere. It was a runner-up for the Audience Award at the Tribeca Festival.

Critics Reception: Flawed but Engaging The critical reception for Swiped was mixed, with an overall Metacritic score of 36 out of 100, indicating "generally unfavorable reviews."

  • The Guardian: Called the film a "breezy drama" that "gives dating apps the origins treatment" but felt it was "corny and contrived." The reviewer noted that the film "returns to credulous adulation for succeeding in this system" and fails to fully interrogate its themes.

  • IndieWire: Criticized the film for being a "blandly conventional biopic that puts a CW sheen on 'The Social Network.'" The reviewer found that the film "avoids harder truths in favor of inspirational shorthand."

  • Collider: A more positive review praised the film's "good effort to recount Herd's rise, then fall, then rise again" and acknowledged the filmmakers' limitations due to the subject's non-disclosure agreement.

In summary, critics largely found the film to be competently made and entertaining, but felt it lacked the depth and critical edge needed to be a truly great film.

Reviews: A Controversial Biopic Audience reviews have been as mixed as the critics', with some viewers loving its empowering message and others finding it to be a sanitized, "corporate ad."

  • Positive Reviews: Some audience members found the film to be a "sharp, uncomfortable mirror" to the dating app world and praised Lily James's performance. They saw it as a feel-good story about a woman who fought back against a corrupt system.

  • Negative Reviews: Other viewers were highly critical, calling it a "full-length Bumble ad you have to pay for." They felt the story was too "streamlined" and neglected to explore the more interesting, controversial aspects of Herd's story, such as her family's wealth and her husband's background.

What Movie Trend film is following: The 'Corporate Origin Story' The film follows the trend of dramatizing the origins of real-life companies. This genre has become increasingly popular, as audiences are fascinated by the secret histories and dramatic battles behind the brands that are a part of their daily lives. Swiped fits perfectly into this niche by revealing the "behind-the-scenes" story of two of the most popular dating apps.

What Big Social Trend is following: The #MeToo Movement and Workplace Culture The film is a direct reflection of the #MeToo movement and the broader conversation about toxic workplace cultures. It portrays the struggles of women in a male-dominated industry and sheds light on the harassment and exploitation that are often swept under the rug. The film's themes of empowerment and standing up to injustice are highly relevant to the ongoing social trend of holding people and corporations accountable for their actions.

Final Verdict: A Timely but Superficial Story Swiped is an entertaining and well-acted film that, while competently made, fails to fully deliver on its ambitious premise. It's a glossy, crowd-pleasing biopic that feels a bit too sanitized to truly capture the grit and complexity of its subject's real-life battles. While it's a worthwhile watch for its strong performances and its reflection of a major cultural moment, it ultimately feels like a shallow take on a story that deserves a more profound examination.


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