THE TINDER SWINDLER

This is a powerful true-crime story with a compelling plot, relatable women, and an appealing cry for justice. The documentary follows victims who were deceived by a man presenting himself as the son of a billionaire and the owner of a diamond company. Their stories eventually help expose his wrongdoing and reveal other victims.

The sense of justice is satisfying, though only partially fulfilled. The film is also missing more footage of the beautiful places connected to the women’s experiences. Still, the story is strong enough to overcome that limitation.

The content is the deciding factor for families: the movie includes lots of strong foul language, sexual material, and romantic and humanist ideas that contribute to a hopeless view of life. Adults who can engage those concerns thoughtfully may find it worthwhile; families with children or young teens should choose something else.

Two women tell how they met Simon Leviev, a handsome man they encountered on Tinder. He claimed to be the son of a billionaire and lived extravagantly, surrounding himself with private jets, luxury travel, cool cars, and wild parties.

What began as exciting romance became a devastating financial con. As the women compare their experiences and seek answers, their investigation reveals that Simon’s story has affected many other people.

Three stars means this is a good, compelling documentary with clear limitations. The film’s strongest qualities are its true-crime appeal, powerful plot, relatable characters, and overarching sense of justice.

The cinematography is well done and filmed in a style similar to many documentaries. However, the movie does not provide enough footage of the spectacular places and famous sights connected to Simon’s travels with the women. More extended views of those locations would have created a better experience for viewers.

The documentary presents a light moral worldview centered on bringing a con man to justice. That concern for justice is one of the film’s strongest elements, and viewers may feel satisfaction when Simon is finally exposed and receives at least some consequences.

At the same time, the movie treats romantic love as the ultimate ideal. Love is connected to whirlwind romance, and the documentary compares one woman’s story to Disney movies such as Beauty and the Beast. The film also includes humanist ideas about living for yourself and doing what makes you happy, even when that compromises your morals. Its emphasis on greed, revenge, lust, infidelity, selfishness, and exploitation leaves viewers—and victims—with a sense of hopelessness that justice only temporarily relieves.

The documentary includes one reference to religion: Simon’s real father is a Jewish rabbi. That detail does not resolve the film’s larger questions about love, morality, or justice. Scripture calls us to seek justice without confusing it with personal revenge: “The LORD loves justice; he will not forsake his saints” (Psalm 37:28).

This is a gripping and relatable true-crime documentary with a satisfying, though incomplete, sense of justice. Its strong language, sexual content, and compromised moral worldview make it unsuitable for children and young teens. For discerning adults, it is WORTH THE TRIP — ADULTS ONLY. For a family-friendly alternative, see.