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Playing with FIRE: The Documentary

  • 2019
  • 1h 30m
IMDb RATING
6.7/10
221
YOUR RATING
Playing with FIRE: The Documentary (2019)
Documentary

Playing with FIRE captures the truths and dispels the myths of the growing culture known as FIRE: Financial Independence Retire Early.Playing with FIRE captures the truths and dispels the myths of the growing culture known as FIRE: Financial Independence Retire Early.Playing with FIRE captures the truths and dispels the myths of the growing culture known as FIRE: Financial Independence Retire Early.

  • Director
    • Travis Shakespeare
  • Writer
    • Travis Shakespeare
  • Stars
    • Pete Adeney
    • Brad Barrett
    • J.L. Collins
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    6.7/10
    221
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Travis Shakespeare
    • Writer
      • Travis Shakespeare
    • Stars
      • Pete Adeney
      • Brad Barrett
      • J.L. Collins
    • 6User reviews
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • Photos7

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    Top cast25

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    Pete Adeney
    • Self
    Brad Barrett
    • Self
    J.L. Collins
    • Self
    Tanja Hester
    • Self
    Ryan Holiday
    • Self
    Chris Hutchins
    • Self
    Jeremy Jacobson
    • Self
    Madfientist
    • Self
    Jonathan Mendonsa
    • Self
    Joshua Fields Millburn
    Joshua Fields Millburn
    • Self
    Mr. 1500
    • Self
    Ryan Nicodemus
    Ryan Nicodemus
    • Self
    Doug Nordman
    • Self
    Paula Pant
    • Self
    Jocelyn Paonita Pearson
    • Self
    Rich & Regular
    • Themselves
    Scott Rieckens
    • Self
    Taylor Rieckens
    • Self
    • Director
      • Travis Shakespeare
    • Writer
      • Travis Shakespeare
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews6

    6.7221
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    Featured reviews

    8alephnull282

    Fun, lighthearted introduction to FIRE

    I enjoyed this movie. It was a fun introduction to FIRE, without being overly heavy or technical. This movie showcased the emotional side of going through the FIRE process.
    10boblin2-1

    Clearly outlines how to get out of the rat race sooner

    I thoroughly enjoyed this real-life documentary about a middle-class, overworked, over indebted, fairly typical North American family, who are stuck in a world where buying stuff and keeping up with the Joneses is the norm.

    We learn about the Financial Independence Retire Early (FIRE) philosophy, and how changing our view of what's important in life can, with the right skill-set and determination, change our lives.

    I particularly liked how when they made a change in their lives, the time to retire was displayed, easily conveying the concept of how making changes can help us escape the rat race sooner.
    8captGregory

    Solid story of a couple

    This documentary follows the journey of a couple trying to achieve fire (financial independence, retire early) from nothing, while they upend their big-spending and relatively luxurious life to live a more simple life with hopes of saving up enough money to retire early. As someone that is aware of FIRE movement, I was a little worried that the documentary would focus more on the math and strategy of how to fire (which is a little boring to most people). It briefly touches on that, but the really interesting part is the psychological and emotional ramifications of switching from a high cost of living to low cost of living lifestyle, especially when maybe not everyone is 100% sold on the plan, and this documentary captured that very well. I'd recommend it to anyone.
    10documentarywonk

    A Documentary About Reimagining Life's Possibilities

    Through the intimate lens of one family's journey, Playing with FIRE illuminates a growing movement of people questioning the traditional script of trading time for money. Scott Rieckens turns the camera on his own family's transformation as they discover the Financial Independence movement and grapple with radical life changes to retire decades earlier than planned.

    What begins as a story about money evolves into a deeper exploration of modern American life, happiness, and what we're really working for. The film masterfully weaves personal vulnerability with insights from FIRE movement pioneers like Mr. Money Mustache, Vicki Robin, and JL Collins, creating a compelling narrative that makes financial independence feel both aspirational and achievable.

    The documentary's strength lies in its honesty about the challenges and rewards of pursuing financial independence. Rather than glossing over the difficult conversations and lifestyle adjustments, it shows the real tensions, doubts, and breakthroughs that come with reimagining your relationship with money. Through this authenticity, it manages to make complex financial concepts accessible without oversimplifying them.

    While the film focuses on a middle-class family's journey, its core message resonates broadly: our time is precious, and we have more control over our financial future than we might think. Playing with FIRE isn't just about early retirement-it's about creating the freedom to live life on your own terms.
    8jone-82606

    Good Introduction to the FIRE movement

    This film is a solid introduction to the FIRE movement and many of the leading voices in the FIRE community. The film does a good job of explaining the key concepts of FIRE in an approachable, easy to understand manner. The strongest and weakest part of the film was following one family in the process of changing their lifestyle to persue FIRE. Each step of their journey is interesting. The glimpses into the family's life show as the FIRE concepts in practice. However, because the film show glimpses into their life the documentary can feel jolting at times. Overall, a good documentary worth watching.

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    FAQ13

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    • Will this documentary be showing on Netflix?

    Details

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    • Release date
      • November 8, 2019 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Official sites
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    • Language
      • English
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

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    • Budget
      • $200,000 (estimated)
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

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    • Runtime
      1 hour 30 minutes
    • Color
      • Color

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