The Gig Is Up (2021): cast, story & where to watch

Released in 2021, The Gig Is Up is a documentary film directed by Shannon Walsh, running about 88 minutes. “There is a cost to convenience” — that tagline sets the tone.

What it’s about. 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.

How it landed. With an audience score of 7.2/10, The Gig Is Up has been warmly received by audiences.

Where to watch. In US you can stream it on Amazon Prime Video, Amazon Prime Video with Ads and Fuse+ Amazon Channel and rent or buy it from Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube and Fandango At Home. See the full, country-by-country breakdown on our where to watch The Gig Is Up page.

If you liked it. Fans of The Gig Is Up tend to enjoy One Direction: This Is Us, Burn the Stage: The Movie, BTS World Tour: Love Yourself - Japan Edition and Senna.