Buffaloed
Buffaloed is a 2019 American crime comedy-drama film directed by Tanya Wexler and written by Brian Sacca.[1] It stars Zoey Deutch in the lead role as Peg Dahl, a resourceful hustler from Buffalo, New York, who enters the cutthroat debt collection industry to amass enough money to leave her hometown behind.[1] The story is set in Buffalo, often called the debt collection capital of the United States, where Peg leverages her street smarts and determination to climb the ranks of a competitive underworld filled with aggressive collectors and personal challenges.[2] The film explores themes of ambition, family loyalty, and socioeconomic struggle, blending humor with dramatic tension as Peg confronts rivals and her own past.[3] Key supporting roles are played by Judy Greer as Peg's mother, Jai Courtney as a rival debt collector, and Jermaine Fowler as her brother.[1] Produced by Lost City, Bold Crayon Pictures, and others, Buffaloed premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival on April 27, 2019, and received a limited theatrical release on February 14, 2020, distributed by Magnolia Pictures.[3] With a runtime of 95 minutes, the film highlights Buffalo's unique cultural and economic landscape, including its role in the collections business.[1] Critically, Buffaloed garnered an 80% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, based on 59 reviews, with praise for Deutch's energetic performance and the film's witty take on American underclass aspirations.[3] On IMDb, it holds a 6.2 out of 10 rating from approximately 9,000 user votes (as of 2025), reflecting a mixed audience response that appreciates its fast-paced narrative but notes some formulaic elements.[1]Synopsis and Cast
Plot
Peg Dahl is released from prison after serving 40 months for a scam involving the sale of counterfeit Buffalo Bills tickets, a scheme she devised to fund her escape from her blue-collar life in Buffalo, New York. Returning home, she reunites with her mother Kathy, who struggles with financial instability, and her brother JJ, whose local bar becomes a central hub for family interactions and her budding professional network. Desperate to amass enough money to leave the city permanently, Peg enters the aggressive world of debt collection, taking a job at an agency run by the intimidating Wizz.[4] Proving her aptitude as a hustler, Peg excels in the role by employing clever cons, psychological tactics, and relentless pursuit to recover outstanding debts, quickly outpacing her colleagues. However, frustrated by the firm's exploitative practices and her limited share of the profits, Peg decides to launch her own legitimate debt collection business, recruiting her loyal friend Sal—a fellow schemer from her past—and assembling a team of unconventional outsiders to challenge the established players. As her operation gains traction through innovative strategies like staged emergencies and personalized manipulations, it sparks an intense rivalry with Wizz and his firm, leading to sabotage, threats, and escalating turf wars in Buffalo's shadowy debt underworld, including attacks on her family's bar and her mother's illegal hairdressing business. Family dynamics strain under the pressure, with Kathy voicing moral objections to Peg's increasingly ruthless methods that mirror the very system she despises, while JJ's bar serves as both a sanctuary and a site of confrontations. Meanwhile, romantic tension builds with Graham Feany, a principled district attorney whose affection challenges Peg's single-minded focus on success and forces her to grapple with the personal costs of her compromises; he provides crucial intel and support during her conflicts.[4] The conflicts intensify as Peg collaborates with police to record illegal activities by shady collectors at JJ's bar, leading to 42 arrests. In a climactic act, she burns over $50,000 in debt sheets representing more than $1 billion in obligations, helping debtors but resulting in her re-arrest and return to prison, where she teaches finance classes. Upon release, Peg receives seed money from her family, enabling her to alleviate ongoing hardships and pivot away from debt collection toward a new venture targeting hedge funds, while remaining connected to Buffalo through strengthened familial bonds.Cast
Zoey Deutch leads the ensemble as Peg Dahl, an ambitious young woman who enters the cutthroat world of debt collection in a bid to escape her Buffalo upbringing.[5] Deutch, who also served as a producer on the film, prepared extensively for the role by working with dialect coach Liz Himelstein to master the distinctive Buffalo accent, including studying local interviews and recording residents' voices during location scouting.[6] The supporting cast features Jai Courtney as Wizz, the ruthless head of a rival debt collection agency who becomes Peg's primary adversary in the industry.[4] Judy Greer portrays Kathy Dahl, Peg's supportive yet beleaguered mother navigating family hardships in Buffalo.[7] Jermaine Fowler plays Graham Feany, Peg's principled district attorney boyfriend who represents a more ethical contrast to her hustling lifestyle.[8] Noah Reid appears as JJ, Peg's laid-back brother who embodies the everyday struggles of their working-class family.[7] Brian Sacca, who also wrote the screenplay, takes on the role of Sal, Peg's loyal friend and fellow debt collector who joins her team.[9][10] Additional supporting roles include Lusia Strus as Frances, a key figure in the debt collection office; Lorrie Odom as the no-nonsense backer; and Jayne Eastwood as Rhonda, adding depth to the film's Buffalo-centric ensemble.[7] The cast's chemistry highlights the film's focus on a tight-knit group of underdogs in the gritty debt industry, with Deutch's central performance anchoring the diverse array of characters.[11]| Actor | Role | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Zoey Deutch | Peg Dahl | Ambitious protagonist and debt collector |
| Jai Courtney | Wizz | Rival debt collection agency leader |
| Judy Greer | Kathy Dahl | Peg's mother |
| Jermaine Fowler | Graham Feany | Peg's ethical district attorney boyfriend |
| Noah Reid | JJ | Peg's brother |
| Brian Sacca | Sal | Peg's friend and debt collection recruit |