Swiped brings to light the story of Whitney Wolf, who co-founded Tinder and later became the CEO of Bumble, revolutionizing the world of online dating. It highlights her story as that of a woman who made a real difference in the face of cultural misogyny — from the workplace to the dating scene — in an interesting way. The film itself isn’t as enjoyable as learning about the feminist breakthrough that Bumble and Wolfe’s achievements were.
Lily James’ performance feels often too much like an impression of a voice, which distracts from the soul of the character she tries to dig into. Dan Stevens loves to play dress up and here the Russian accent and wig definitely stick out like a sore thumb in his role. Myha’la is great and her friendship with Whitney is a standout, particularly the film’s examination of sexist attitudes that even women are forced to buy into, like the idea that there’s only space for one of them in a male-dominated environment. The film examines this sexism in systems from the legal to the professional to the public opinion, and this aspect will definitely provoke conversation, even if it’s the only thing the movie really has going for it.
The editing misses the mark in pivotal parts, going for generic 2010s soundtrack choices and the montages feel like they were put together by someone who’s giving them a go in the editing room for the first time. The dialogue is also very hit or miss and the final act feels too mechanical and underwhelming, even though it may have been well-intentioned.
Swiped may be educational in conveying the origins of multiple prominent dating apps today, and the toxic culture women have had to fight back against on many fronts. But the so-so performances, editing, and script make the film as much of a struggle for the audience as the revelation the filmmakers may think it is.
2/5
Review by: Gal Balaban