The Canyons 2013

Christian [Nolan Gerard Funk] is a wealthy young man who produces low-budget horror films. At the start of the story, he sits down for dinner with his girlfriend Tara [Lindsay Lohan], his personal assistant Gina, and her boyfriend Ryan [James Deen]. Christian drops a bombshell: he has just secured Ryan for a leading role in one of his movies, and he wants to keep an open relationship with Tara, using dating apps to find partners for casual hookups. He emphasizes that he trusts Tara not to fall in love with anyone he brings into their bed, framing their arrangement as a calculated balance of power and desire.

The tension in the household thickens as Ryan accuses Gina of wanting a four-way with Tara and Christian, and a night-time text exchange leads to a day-after meeting that exposes old flames. Tara learns that she and Ryan were once lovers, and that Tara left Ryan behind to pursue a lifestyle with wealthy men. Christian keeps a close eye on Tara’s messages and calls, which heightens the sense that he’s controlling every move she makes. Meanwhile, Christian pays a visit to an actress named Cynthia for a bit of casual sex, and he assumes Tara is stepping outside the relationship when he spots Tara with Ryan. He even teams up with John, a member of the crew, to stage a cruel prank: Ryan is told he could lose his job unless he performs sexual favors—an escalation that foreshadows the film’s darker turns.

As the evening unfolds, Tara is grilled about her afternoon, but she denies any attraction to Ryan or any prior acquaintance with him. Ryan, meanwhile, discovers Christian’s routine on Gina’s computer, including regular “yoga sessions” with Cynthia, which adds another layer of suspicion and deceit to the tangled dynamic.

An anonymous text warns Tara that she might be in trouble, and Cynthia reveals that she used to be Christian’s girlfriend. Cynthia urges Tara to leave Christian and admits to sending the anonymous messages. She also confesses a brutal past: Christian drugged her, orchestrated a group assault on her, and recorded the incident. When Tara questions Cynthia’s warnings, she rebuffs them, choosing to remain in the dangerous orbit of Christian.

Christian [Nolan Gerard Funk] acknowledges dating Cynthia but denies beating her or arranging any assault, and the evening takes another unsettling turn when a dating-app friend is about to arrive. Tara insists they proceed with their plans, and the two of them engage in a group sexual encounter with the arriving couple. Tara, in a shocking turn, directs Christian to perform acts he later feels uncomfortable about, including homosexual acts he never anticipated.

The behind-the-scenes manipulation continues to unravel as it’s revealed that Ryan urged Cynthia to warn Tara. While browsing a record store, Ryan senses he is being stalked. In a brutal climax to the crescendo of control and fear, Christian violently assaults Tara, laying bare how much he knows about her and Ryan.

Ryan confides in Gina that he has been sleeping with Tara, and Gina declares that she will do whatever it takes to ensure the film is completed, even as Ryan is fired and banned from the set. In therapy, Christian talks about feeling out of control and admits that he is more comfortable when others follow his lead; his therapy with Doctor Campbell (Gus Van Sant) is revealed to be a condition of the trust fund he lives on rather than voluntary treatment.

The narrative then follows Christian and Ryan as they drive through downtown Los Angeles. Christian leaves a taunting voicemail for Ryan, and he arrives at Cynthia’s house to confront her about lying to break up Tara and himself. Cynthia denies the accusation, but a furious Christian stabs her to death.

When Christian returns home, Tara has packed to leave. He apologizes for the brutality and makes two ominous conditional offers: Tara must provide him with an alibi for Cynthia’s murder, and she must never contact Ryan. If she refuses, he threatens to murder Ryan and use his family wealth to evade accountability. Tara agrees and is allowed to depart.

Months later, Tara is seen in Dubai, having lunch with a friend who asks about Gina’s film and her relationship with Christian. Tara insists she left the project after their breakup and tries to present an amicable front, claiming they are on good terms. The friend leaves to make a call, and the call reveals a grim truth: the other end is Ryan, alone in an empty room, suggesting that the surface of Tara’s supposed happiness may be a lie.

• Nolan Gerard Funk appears as the controlling filmmaker at the center of the story, and his influence drives the action and moral decay.

• Lindsay Lohan appears as Tara, whose past and present entanglements pull her deeper into a dangerous web of power, desire, and fear.

• James Deen appears as Ryan, a former lover turned actor in Christian’s projects, whose loyalties and betrayals are tested to the limit as the plot twists unfold.