The latest biopic buzzing around the 50th anniversary of the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) explores how the female founder of one of the most popular dating apps swiped right on changing the conversation about online dating for women.
With today’s rise in reliance on technology, online dating has become the go-to source for finding a romantic partner. With its easy ability to match with multiple prospects with similar interests, these technological advancements have resulted in many meet-cutes. However, they also present a list of red flags, including harassment, hate speech, and sexual violence.
A 2018 report from Statistics Canada found that women faced a significantly higher risk of receiving unwanted behaviour online, with another study from the Canadian Women’s Foundation in 2024 stating that, one in five women in Canada experience online harassment. With threats to women’s online safety just a ‘swipe’ away, director Rachel Lee Goldenberg gives viewers a raw glimpse into the birthplaces behind these dating social networks and their inventors to uncover how these digital spaces shape and sometimes endanger potential relationships.
Swiped stems from the true story of Whitney Wolfe Herd, the co-founder of Tinder and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Bumble — two of the most globally popular dating platforms. Actress Lily James stars as the protagonist in all stages of Wolfe’s career, from college-grad idealist to Tinder co-founder, to the billionaire brainiac behind Bumble.
The film starts off in the year 2010, where Wolfe meets Sean Rad (played by Ben Schnetzer), who offers her a position as marketing director at his tech company. While discussing the name for a “fun” new dating app, Wolfe suggests the name “Tinder,” describing it as the “initial spark” to lighting a fire, aligning perfectly with the company’s goal of adding a little “heat” to the dating world.
After the app achieves global success, Wolfe is named co-founder of Tinder. But, as Wolfe begins to thrive in her success, she also becomes a participant in the company’s patriarchal work culture. Despite being the only female voice in the room, Wolfe shows more hesitancy to speak up…that is, until she’s slapped in the face with a sad reality.
Despite her new job title, Wolfe is still subjected to sexual discrimination from her coworkers, clients who are more interested in pleasure than business, including her boyfriend, played by Jackson White. In a time before the #MeToo movement, when sexism in the workplace was typically unaddressed and silence was the “safety net,” Wolfe continued to ignore the company’s underlying misogyny until it became too much for her to stay quiet.
When Wolfe finally brings the harassment to Rad’s attention, he fails to take action. This drives Wolfe to leave the company and file a lawsuit against Tinder for sexual harassment and discrimination, reflecting the real-life lawsuit settled outside of court in 2014.
Fed up with the way men pollute the online dating environment, she decides to build Bumble, a new dating platform where women lead the conversation. Her mission to redefine the rules of dating for women through her app eventually leads to Wolfe becoming one of the youngest female billionaires in the tech industry.
While the film’s closing title mentioned that Wolfe had no participation in the making of her biopic due to a non-disclosure agreement (NDA), director Rachel Lee Goldenberg still manages to craft an entertaining dramedy that brings Wolfe’s real-life story of grit, resilience, and heartbreak to light.
While it’s unknown to audiences which facts were slightly altered or fictionalized for dramatic effect, James’ performance helps to bring a sense of realism to the character. Her infectious energy and emotional range display Wolfe as an imperfect protagonist rather than an innocent heroine.
With Wolfe’s career trajectory present at the forefront of the film, Swiped also captures the harsh realities of women in male-dominated fields. However, there are times when the film’s focus on comedy tends to overshadow these darker themes, dimming the dramatic impact for the audience. The film may have its faults, but needless to say, Swiped does have redeeming qualities: the pacing, plot twists, and 2010s soundtrack are sure to keep the audience invested.
Whether you’re swiping left or right on this biopic, Swiped definitely sends an important message about the role technology plays in gender and dating culture, and serves as a powerful reminder echoing Goldenberg’s words, “Through courage, change is possible.”
Swiped can be streamed through Hulu and Disney+ starting Friday, Sept. 19.