Everyone Is Lying to You for Money

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Everyone Is Lying to You for Money

Apr 2026

1h 30m

Documentary

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21 Reviews

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Fewer than 50 Ratings

In Everyone Is Lying to You for Money, actor and author Ben McKenzie turns investigator, pulling back the curtain on the cryptocurrency industry and the culture of hype, misinformation, and speculation that fueled its explosive rise. What began as a promise of financial freedom has evolved into a volatile ecosystem rife with fraud and reckless gambling, carrying with it devastating consequences for everyday people. Through firsthand reporting, expert interviews, and a clear-eyed examination of major collapses and scandals, the film traces how crypto became one of the most aggressively marketed financial products of the modern era--and how warning signs were ignored, dismissed, or deliberately obscured. As fortunes are made and lost, Everyone Is Lying to You for Money asks a sobering question: who benefits from the chaos, and who is left to clean up the damage? Accessible, urgent, and often darkly ironic, the film is both a cautionary tale and a call for accountability--cutting through the noise to expose a system built on speculation, influence, and belief rather than truth.

Randy Myers

San Jose Mercury News

Apr 30

3/4

All of that might sound a little dense, but McKenzie’s fast and informative account of his deep dive into a blurry subject turns out to be one of the most entertaining, and yes, enlightening documentaries of the year.

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Kimberley Jones

Austin Chronicle

Apr 30

3/5

It’s an electrifying watch in its profound discomfort, and a testament to McKenzie’s ability to disarm with a smile, then land a righteous blow against the bad guys.

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Odie Henderson

Boston Globe

Apr 28

3/4

With this entertaining, funny, and informative movie, McKenzie can add documentary filmmaker to his CV

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Pat Mullen

POV Magazine

Jun 11

The film preserves the victims’ anonymity, but lets audiences feel the weight of this predatory industry.

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Andrew Parker

The Gate

Jun 6

8/10

McKenzie can admit to when he’s being foolish, but he suffers fools and those who underestimate him far less.

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Matt McCracken

In Review Online

May 10

The film as a whole is charmingly personal, with an odyssey-like structure providing the exact right on- and off-ramps for a journey that wasn’t going to change the destination of anyone already aboard the crypto-ship.

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christopher b

May 10

Ben McKenzie seems like a sincere guy, but he doesn’t understand crypto. There’s a moment in the film in which Susan Lummis distinguishes fraud from crypto, which this film doesn’t do. This film will age like milk.

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Chris H

@RT21345660 Jul 10

This movie is about a scam, but the scam is perpetrated on you the viewer by the maker of this film, Ben McKenzie. The scam is Ben wants and needs more acting work and this is his demo reel. He says so right in the beginning - and at the end. In the beginning, he relays that his peak was starring in The O.C. and that he’s struggled to be recognized for anything else or get any other work after that. In the end, he acknowledges to his wife that it’s time to get back to work portraying cops, doctors, or lawyers in TV dramas. This movie has ZERO technical information about cryptocurrencies. It mostly involves shots of him with his cute wife and family as he makes this documentary. (i.e. Isn’t he cute? Hire him!) He only covers 2 scams: Celsius and FTX. He conflates the blockchain, cryptocurrencies, bitcoin, shit coins, online exchange scams, etc. as "cryptocurrency." Any other film on crypto blows this pathetic attempt to get a fading actor some attention out of the water. Do not bother.

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Kathryn R

@RT18972604 Jun 7

An intelligent and entertaining exposé of crypto. McKenzie leverages his background in economics, experience in showbiz, sincerity, and charm to explain crypto and debunk the hype and claims surrounding it.

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Lindsey C

@linzmac Jun 5

An exceptional documentary for anyone who DOES NOT have a deep understanding of the crypto market. Ben masterfully breaks down a complex subject using humor and storytelling to keep viewers genuinely engaged, all while instilling a very real concern about what could happen if regulations aren't put in place to protect index and retirement funds from the volatile, hype-driven world of crypto. Highly recommended!

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Derek N.

@RT09616258 May 9

Ben McKenzie absolutely crushes it in his first-ever documentary. The movie is genuine, insightful, well researched, funny, and all-around brilliant. Everyone should see this movie!

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Stacey S

@RT65680062 May 3

I was impressed with McKenzie's book, Easy Money, and this doc is a great companion to it. (Not that you need to read the book before seeing the film.) I especially appreciated seeing Wilfredo in El Salvador, putting a face to a person who I came to care about from the book. The film is smart, thought-provoking, and yes, funny. Thanks, Ben!

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Synopsis

In Everyone Is Lying to You for Money, actor and author Ben McKenzie turns investigator, pulling back the curtain on the cryptocurrency industry and the culture of hype, misinformation, and speculation that fueled its explosive rise. What began as a promise of financial freedom has evolved into a volatile ecosystem rife with fraud and reckless gambling, carrying with it devastating consequences for everyday people. Through firsthand reporting, expert interviews, and a clear-eyed examination of major collapses and scandals, the film traces how crypto became one of the most aggressively marketed financial products of the modern era--and how warning signs were ignored, dismissed, or deliberately obscured. As fortunes are made and lost, Everyone Is Lying to You for Money asks a sobering question: who benefits from the chaos, and who is left to clean up the damage? Accessible, urgent, and often darkly ironic, the film is both a cautionary tale and a call for accountability--cutting through the noise to expose a system built on speculation, influence, and belief rather than truth.

Director: Ben McKenzie
Producer: Giorgio Angelini
Screenwriter: Ben McKenzie
Distributor: Eammon Films
Production Co: Easy Money Productions, Section Perspective
Genre: Documentary
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Apr 17, 2026, Limited
Runtime: 1h 30m