Zoey Deutch is the teenage “Jordan Belfort of Buffalo, NY” in the new comedy Buffaloed from director Tanya Wexler.

A fresh and energetic watch from start to finish, Buffaloed can best be described as a hybrid between The Big Short meets The Wolf of Wall Street with the added charisma and charm of Booksmart. And to keep the movie references going, this film could have very easily been named Hustlers, as that’s exactly what’s at the crux of our protagonist’s pursuit for financial freedom and the very questionable way she sets out to achieve her dreams.

Peg Dahl (Deutch) lives at home with her mother and brother, who are both supportive yet skeptical of her wild ambition to leave her hometown in search of bigger and better things. Since she was young, Peg has always excelled at creating financial opportunities, despite her family’s lower-class status. With sights set on attending an Ivy League school followed by a job on Wall Street, escaping Buffalo – the debt capital of America – proves more difficult than originally planned. Tuition costs are too much, and Peg begins to see her life dreams dying in front of her. Down on her luck, a chance phone call results in an idea; using her street smarts, quick wit, and financial chops, Peg takes the business of delinquent debt collecting into her own hands.

Buffaloed is a satirical money movie that should be on your radar for many reasons, including the premise that a young female entrepreneur uses her brain, rather than her body, to get ahead. It’s a refreshing comedy that relies on the stellar performance from Zoey Deutch to convey the film’s tonality. Deutch isn’t afraid to play “The Man’s Game,” and her attitude is admirable. With Buffaloed hitting theaters on February 14th, it makes for the perfect Valentine’s night out.

BUFFALOED (2020)

Starring Zoey Deutch, Judy Greer, Jermaine Fowler, Noah Reid, Jai Courtney

Directed by Tanya Wexler

Written by Brian Sacca

Distributed by Magnolia Pictures. 95 minutes. Opening this Friday.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LrQZpeMcM5g