Unless you’re really up on key figures in the tech world, the name Whitney Wolfe Herd may not mean anything. But it should because Whitney is the founder of Bumble and a co-founder of Tinder. Swiped, premiering on Hulu on September 19, 2025, chronicles Whitney’s humble beginnings as an enthusiastic young woman with a desire to help others to becoming the creator of a female-forward social network and the first self-made female billionaire.
Swiped picks up Whitney’s story in 2012 as she finagles her way into a party to pitch an app she’s working on that connects volunteers with orphanages. Whitney (Lily James) is hit on (a lot) but doesn’t get any bites until she engages in small talk with up-and-coming CEO Sean Rad (Ben Schnetzer, 3 Body Problem). Fortune is on her side when she impresses Sean and earns a position as his full-time marketing director.
Sean’s got his fingers in a lot of pies, but the one that really snares Whitney’s interest is a dating app. Whitney plays a pivotal role in the app’s early success, from pitching the name Tinder to launching a campus recruitment program to get the target demographic to download the app and create profiles. It was Tinder’s team that devised the now-iconic swipe left or right, and Whitney was such a crucial part of the app’s success that she was named a co-founder.
Swiped portrays Whitney as a key player in Tinder but also shows how she was a victim of the sort of toxic male-dominated workplace culture so prevalent in the tech industry at the time. Her contributions weren’t just minimalized; she was harassed, betrayed, and ultimately iced out by her male co-founders, all despite the fact she was crucial to the app’s popularity.
While Swiped does a terrific job of following Whitney’s time at Tinder, the film falters when it explores Whitney’s post-Tinder events. Her downward spiral after being forced out at Tinder and then ultimate success when Badoo founder Andrey Andreev (Dan Stevens) funds the more female-empowered Bumble seems oversimplified. As does the revelation of wrongdoings at Badoo and Whitney’s subsequent reaction. Complex issues are tied up too neatly, given the film’s more detailed dive into the Tinder timeframe. Whitney’s development of Bumble is given short shrift, with the focus primarily on her troubles rather than her successes.
Despite the film’s rushed feeling, Lily James absolutely shines as the young entrepreneur trying to make her way in a misogynistic world. James’ performance is the clear highlight of the film, effectively capturing Whitney’s ambition, vulnerability, and resilience. James makes you feel every victory and defeat as Whitney’s journey unfolds.
Swiped’s swift pace does keep things from getting boring but doesn’t allow for much character development outside of Whitney herself. Some of the supporting characters feel more like archetypes than real people, but since this is Whitney’s story, that’s not surprising.
In the end, Swiped is an engaging watch, thanks to James’ compelling lead performance. It’s a solid film, but it doesn’t quite live up to the promise of its fascinating subject matter. (It’s not 2025’s version of The Social Network.) Still, if you’re a fan of Lily James or are simply curious about the story behind one of the biggest apps in the world, it’s worth a look.
GRADE: C
Running Time: 1 hour 50 minutes
Release Date: September 19, 2025 on Hulu
Directed By: Rachel Lee Goldenberg
Studio: 20th Century Studios
The post ‘Swiped’ Review: Lily James is Terrific, the Film Not So Much appeared first on ShowbizJunkies.
0 Comments