Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

In the beginning, Scott and Taylor bring in over $100k/year, but spend every penny on their rental house ($3k/month), leased cars, nanny, going out to eat ($2k/month), etc. Instead of making small sustainable changes, they overhauled their whole life. They moved in with Scott's parents and Taylor's parents rent-free and lived as a nomad for a year to save every penny. There's irony in seeking financial independence while relying on parents to provide a roof. So much of this adventure seems driven by Scott, who throughout the movie is building a new business while Taylor is their sole breadwinner. He shares his insecurities due to not having a job and relying on Taylor, and we see very real glimpses of the struggles they face and the unhappiness at "giving up" everything. This movie teaches very little to those seeking financial independence. Scott and Taylor could have done all this out of San Diego. Simply finding cheaper used cars and eating at home would save $30-$40k which is enough for a down payment in one year. The steps they took are not necessarily actionable or repeatable for those who don't have the privilege of a remote job or parents with an extra bedroom, and thus may not benefit those outside the FIRE community, who are likely to see all this as extreme. Overall, the movie tried to do too many things. Commentary on society and lack of financial literacy, commentary on Wall Street, snippets of "big names" from the FIRE community, snippets from activities like camps and Fincon, all mixed with a family working toward financial independence through extreme measures steeped in privilege. As a member of the community, I was disappointed that we didn't see more of the day to day habits and choices that create a frugal, fulfilling life. Instead, the focus was on everything given up, for an arbitrary goal 10 years out. Financial independence and frugality create a full, meaningful, low stress life. It doesn't have to be extreme, and your goal should be working toward something, not working to quit working. For those unfamiliar with the FIRE movement, time would be better spent reading "The Simple Path to Wealth" or any number of other valuable pieces of literature.