Disconnect 2013

The film delves into the troubling effects of modern communication technology through the intertwined lives of three distinct stories that highlight its darker aspects.

The narrative begins with Nina, an up-and-coming reporter, who gains notoriety following her interview with Kyle, an underage stripper in a web chatroom. Kyle operates in a virtual landscape alongside other strippers, all under the supervision of his boss, Harvey. However, the situation complicates when the FBI pressures Nina to reveal Kyle’s location to shut down the illegal site. Despite having initially paid Kyle for contact, which raises legal issues, Nina finds herself torn between her ethical obligations and her desire to protect Kyle from the exploitative environment. As their relationship deepens, Kyle provides her with his address, but just as Nina gets close, Harvey is alerted, prompting an escape from the web house. Nina’s attempts to rescue Kyle lead her to a motel, where she pleads with him to leave the grim reality behind. Initially, Kyle shares her hope for a better future, but as Nina hesitates to assure him safety, he hesitates to trust her, resulting in an altercation with Harvey, who violently strikes Nina. Ultimately, the entire group of strippers leaves in despair.

Meanwhile, another story unfolds featuring two boys, Jason and his friend Frye, who decide to impersonate a girl named “Jessica Rhony” on Facebook Messenger. Their deceit leads a teenager named Ben, the son of Rich, a legal counsel at Nina’s workplace, to share an explicit photo of himself. The boys circulate this image around their school, which results in devastating consequences for Ben, who becomes a target of cyberbullying and ultimately attempts suicide, landing him in a coma. Rich, desperate to uncover the truth, starts engaging with “Jessica” online. In a shocking twist, Jason visits Ben in the hospital, where he deceitfully introduces himself as “Mike,” leading to an eventual confrontation between Rich and Jason’s real father, Mike, who learns of his son’s betrayal and chooses to erase incriminating evidence. The tension escalates when Rich discovers that Jason is behind the “Jessica” facade, resulting in a violent confrontation.

In yet another storyline, Cindy and Derek, a couple grappling with the loss of their child, find themselves victimized by identity theft. They hire private investigator Mike, who happens to be Jason’s father, to track down the perpetrator. As the investigation unfolds, it is revealed that Cindy had been sharing her grief in a support group online, leading them to suspect Stephen Schumacher. The couple, in their obsessive quest for justice, stalk Schumacher, ultimately resulting in a confrontation. Just as Derek confronts Stephen at his home, Mike reveals that Schumacher is also a victim of the same thief, intensifying the complexity of their pursuit. The situation escalates when Derek, leveraging his skills as a former Marine, disarms Schumacher, while Cindy finds a way to connect with him, sharing their mutual losses.

As all three narratives unfold, the film concludes without neatly resolved outcomes. Instead, it emphasizes a powerful theme: the characters embark on journeys that push them closer to their loved ones, highlighting the importance of reconnection in a world increasingly defined by disconnection. Each character experiences growth, reshaping their relationships in light of their struggles, leaving viewers with a thought-provoking reflection on the ramifications of modern technology in personal lives.