Summary
Don’t let the title fool you into believing this is a tale of cryptocurrencies. It’s an insightful story about a father and son bridging the generational gap between them.
Dutch filmmaker Shady El-Hamus’s second Netflix film, Crypto Boy, is a drama centering on the contemporary issue of digital currency scams. Set in Amsterdam, the movie follows a young man who falls for the fake promises made by an unscrupulous entrepreneur.
Aided by a talented cast, this emotional drama shows how easily anyone can fall into the allure of easy money. While formulaic and predictable, El-Hamus delivers a worthwhile story about mistakes and redemption.
Crypto Boy review and plot summary
The movie opens with 20-year-old Amir (Shahine El-Hamus) selling expired beard oil to teenagers in his Amsterdam Oost neighborhood. As the son of an Egyptian immigrant and restaurant owner, Omar (Sabri Saad El-Hamus), the young man hates working with his father and is constantly looking for ways to make lots of money, fast.
For his part, Omar is still grieving the loss of his wife and rarely has a kind word for his son. He dismisses Amir’s ideas to spruce up the failing restaurant’s decor even when faced with an increase in rent by the hip property developers who bought up the whole block.
Desperate to show his dad he’s not just a waste of space, Amir talks his way into a sales job with an up-and-coming blockchain company run by the charismatic crypto bro Roy. After hearing Roy speak at an event, Amir is sold.
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Roy offers Amir the dream of financial security and invites him to high-class parties and rides on private planes. As the young man gets enthralled into Roy’s world of crypto, the strain between him and Omar deepens.
Despite its title, Crypto Boy doesn’t spend too long on the intricacies of cryptocurrencies. Instead, the relationship between Amir and Omar is at the heart of this drama. Amir’s desperation to prove himself to a father who’s too stuck in his ways is what leads him to fall prey to someone as unscrupulous as Roy.
Both Sabri Saad El-Hamus and Shahine El-Hamus shine at conveying the generational gap between their two characters. The two actors are father and son in real life, which elevates their performances while adding a sense of authenticity to Omar and Amir’s connection.
Why you should stream Crypto Boy on Netflix
The narrative is well-paced, if predictable. This is the type of film where you know exactly where the story is heading, yet you keep watching for the performances. There are several touching moments, and Amir’s journey is compelling enough to keep you interested throughout.
Crypto Boy is an engaging drama that will keep you emotionally invested in Amir’s story up until the very end. This heartfelt movie shows how people can easily fall prey to scams like those touted by the so-called crypto bros. But it’s also a film about family, redemption, and staying true to your roots.
What did you think of Crypto Boy? Comment below.
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