Disconnect

Disconnect is a 2012 American psychological drama film directed by Henry Alex Rubin and written by Andrew Stern. It stars an ensemble cast featuring Jason Bateman, Hope Davis, Frank Grillo, Michael Nyqvist, Paula Patton, Andrea Riseborough, Alexander Skarsgård, Max Thieriot, Colin Ford, and Jonah Bobo. The film explores how people experience the negative sides of modern communication technology by following three interconnecting stories. Plot Ambitious, up-and-coming reporter Nina Dunham interviews an underage video chat-room stripper named Kyle. Kyle, a runaway, works for a man named Harvey in a "house" with other chat-room strippers. However, after the interview achieves some prominence, the FBI demands that she reveal the address of the house so that they can shut down the operation. Since she has paid Kyle in order to make initial contact, she may have broken the law. As a result, police and her employer also put pressure on her to cooperate. Nina wants to save him from the business, yet fears losing his trust in the process. Kyle reluctantly gives her the address, but Harvey is tipped off and the entire household flees. Nina follows them to a motel where they're staying and asks Kyle to leave with her. Kyle is willing to do so at first, but when Nina is hesitant to guarantee him safe haven in her home, he refuses. Harvey watches them argue, then slaps Nina. The entire group of chat-room strippers leave and Nina drives away in tears. Two boys, Jason and his friend Frye, impersonate a girl named "Jessica Rhony" on Facebook Messenger and convince teenager Ben (the son of Rich, a lawyer for the TV station where Nina works) to send a nude picture of himself. The boys distribute it to classmates and the picture circulates to nearly everyone in their grade. Ben is so embarrassed by this cyber bullying that he attempts suicide by hanging himself and ends up in a coma. Rich doggedly searches Ben's social media, looking for answers, and begins chatting with "Jessica". Rich visits Ben in the hospital, where he meets Jason, who falsely calls himself Mike. Jason's father (who is actually named Mike) discovers what Jason and Frye have been doing and is furious. However, he protects his son by erasing the evidence on Frye's iPad. Later, Rich discovers the identity of "Jessica" and angrily goes to Mike's house, which results in a physical altercation. Jason tries to intervene and Rich hits him with a hockey stick.