New Showbiz

You are here:
The Gig Is Up

The Gig Is Up

2021

Director

Shannon Walsh

Runtime

88 minutes

Average Rating

No ratings yet

Synopsis

A very human tech doc, uncovers the real costs of the platform economy through the lives of workers from around the world for companies including Uber, Amazon and Deliveroo. From delivering food and driving ride shares to tagging images for AI, millions of people around the world are finding work task by task online. The gig economy is worth over 5 trillion USD globally, and growing. And yet the stories of the workers behind this tech revolution have gone largely neglected. Who are the people in this shadow workforce? It brings their stories into the light. Lured by the promise of flexible work hours, independence, and control over time and money, workers from around the world have found a very different reality. Work conditions are often dangerous, pay often changes without notice, and workers can effectively be fired through deactivation or a bad rating. Through an engaging global cast of characters, it reveals how the magic of technology we are being sold might not be magic at all.

Where to Watch

Diversity & Representation

Overall Score

6.9/10

Good

Category Breakdown

LGBTQ+ Representation

Fair

The film focuses on labor conditions and socioeconomic structures rather than identity-specific narratives. It does not center LGBTQ+ identities or non-cisnormative experiences as a primary lens of investigation.

Gender Representation

Good

The narrative disrupts traditional hierarchies by centering the agency of workers against tech conglomerates. It subverts the heroic tech-founder trope by elevating the survival strategies of the labor force.

Racial & Ethnic Diversity

Excellent

The film excels with a non-Anglo-Saxon majority of voices. It avoids depicting a homogeneous Western workforce by documenting workers from diverse geographic and ethnic backgrounds across the globe.

Religious & Cultural Diversity

Excellent

The film critiques capitalist structures by portraying technological progress as a deceptive veneer for systemic oppression. It challenges the perceived superiority of Western technological models through its global perspective.

Disability Representation

Fair

The documentary touches upon how precarious work affects those with varying capacities. However, it lacks high-agency portrayals of neurodivergence or specific physical disabilities.

Strengths

  • Provides a robust, globalized perspective by featuring a non-Anglo-Saxon majority of voices.
  • Effectively deconstructs the myth of technological neutrality and Western economic dominance.
  • Centers the agency and survival strategies of workers against faceless tech conglomerates.

Areas for Improvement

  • Lacks specific, high-agency portrayals of neurodivergence or physical disability.
  • Does not center LGBTQ+ identities or non-cisnormative experiences as a primary narrative lens.

AI Analysis

The Gig Is Up succeeds as a globalized investigation into the platform economy. Its primary strength is its refusal to center Western perspectives, instead providing a mosaic of voices from the Global South and immigrant communities. This creates a powerful, intersectional view of the modern shadow workforce. While the film is highly effective at deconstructing systemic economic inequality, it remains neutral regarding specific identity politics. It prioritizes the class struggle and the exploitation of the worker over individual identity-based narratives like LGBTQ+ or disability-specific experiences. Ultimately, the documentary functions as a sophisticated critique of institutional power. It moves beyond simple tech criticism to highlight how algorithmic management impacts a diverse, interconnected global population.

How are these scores produced? →

Rate this Movie

No rating selected
Use arrow keys to select a rating from 1 to 5 stars
Optional text review, maximum 2000 characters
Tip: Wrap spoilers with ||double pipes|| to hide them
0/2000 characters
You must be signed in to submit a rating

Reviews

No reviews yet. Be the first to share your thoughts on this movie!

Use the rating form above to leave a star rating and optional review.