When Ken Griffin got word about “Dumb Money,” a film in which the Citadel founder and CEO is a prominent character, he wasn’t a fan of what he heard.
So the billionaire and former Illinois resident had his people reach out to Sony Pictures, whose Columbia Pictures unit is distributing “Dumb Money.” And he says he got results.
“The original script contained numerous fabrications, and Citadel felt an obligation to flag those to Sony. Thanks to our letter, Sony corrected them and the final film did not include a number of falsehoods that would have been blatantly misleading to the audience,” said a statement from Tom A. Clare, an attorney representing Citadel.
Not that Griffin is giving “Dumb Money” an unmitigated thumbs-up. “While it’s a shame the final version still chose to sensationalize events through false implications and inaccuracies,” Clare’s statement said, “we are glad our letter gave Sony the chance to correct some of its mistakes before the film was released.”
“Dumb Money’s” writers, Lauren Schuker Blum and Rebecca Angelo, said Tuesday that Griffin’s claim of correcting their movie is pure fiction.
“Anyone who sees this movie will know instantly: Ken Griffin had no role in shaping this film,” the writers said in a statement. “He doesn’t want you to see it. Which is why you should.”
“Dumb Money,” which is now showing at AMC River East and expands to more theaters next week, is billed as the “ultimate David vs. Goliath tale, based on the insane true story of everyday people who flipped the script on Wall Street and got rich by turning [video game store chain] GameStop into the world’s hottest company.”
In 2021, Keith Gill, an amateur trader working out of his basement, enthusiastically endorsed GameStop stock, helping fuel a viral trading frenzy that rocked Wall Street and humbled hedge funds that had shorted the company.
Griffin, played by Chicago area native Nick Offerman, is at one point shown bailing out Gabe Plotkin (Seth Rogen), whose Melvin Capital Management loses billions of dollars as GameStop stock soars ever higher.
When a desperate Plotkin calls Griffin asking for money, Griffin responds without hesitation: “Consider it done.”
“Poor guy,” the Griffin character says after hanging up.
Offerman’s Griffin is seen in the movie enjoying a life of privilege — playing tennis, in a lighted swimming pool at night, eating alone in a huge dining room surrounded by waitstaff.
At one point toward the end of the film, Griffin receives a congressional subpoena to testify about the GameStop saga, to which the character replies: “S- - -! Balls!” In real life, Griffin agreed to testify and answered House members’ questions in a Feb. 19, 2021, hearing.
Griffin, an active Republican megadonor, was cited often as Illinois’ richest resident before he relocated to Florida in 2022.
Contributing: AP
