Distorted

Distorted

Year: 2018

Runtime: 86 min

Language: English

Director: Rob W. King

Echo Score: 37

Budget: $1M

ActionMysteryThrillerCrime

Lauren Curran's seemingly perfect life in a luxury condo, The Pinnacle, is shattered when she begins to uncover disturbing secrets. With the help of investigative journalist John Cusack, she delves into a mystery involving sinister experiments hidden behind cutting-edge technology. As Lauren investigates, she’s forced to confront her own troubled past and question the reality around her, navigating a web of mind-bending deceit and danger.

Distorted (2018) – Spoiler-Free Movie Summary & Plot Overview

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In a sleek, ultramodern high‑rise known as The Pinnacle, Lauren Curran has built a life that feels almost curated—designer interiors, cutting‑edge smart systems, and the promise of a fresh start far from the shadows of her past. The condo’s polished surfaces and whisper‑quiet algorithms suggest a world where technology smooths every edge, yet a subtle disquiet lingers beneath the glossy veneer, hinting that not everything can be controlled by code alone.

Her husband, Russell, a successful entrepreneur, welcomes the move as the ultimate upgrade, but the building’s omnipresent sensors and immersive media begin to feel invasive, especially to Lauren, whose bipolar diagnosis adds a layer of fragility to her perception of reality. As she navigates the glossy social scene of affluent neighbors, the constant hum of the smart environment starts to echo with inexplicable static, leaving her to wonder whether the very comforts meant to protect her are subtly reshaping her thoughts.

Enter John Cusack, an investigative journalist whose curiosity is matched only by his willingness to dig beneath surface‑level narratives. Drawn together by a shared suspicion that something more sinister may be pulsing through the building’s cutting‑edge technology, they form an uneasy partnership. Their collaboration is less about uncovering a conventional crime and more about questioning the ethics of a world where data, perception, and human vulnerability intersect in unsettling ways.

The film balances sleek, futuristic aesthetics with a palpable sense of unease, casting the condo’s immaculate design as both sanctuary and trap. Through Lauren’s increasingly strained sense of self and John’s relentless probing, the story teases a mystery that lurks behind every smart surface, inviting the audience to consider how far we’ll let technology dictate the contours of our lives—and what happens when the line between safety and manipulation blurs.

Last Updated: August 10, 2025 at 02:32

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Movies with paranoid conspiracies like Distorted

Stories where the protagonist questions their sanity while uncovering a hidden threat.If you enjoyed the psychological gaslighting and unseen dangers in Distorted, you'll find similar tension in movies like these. This list features thrillers where protagonists face conspiracies that make them question their own sanity, blending personal trauma with high-stakes mysteries. Explore more films about perception of reality and psychological manipulation.

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Narrative Summary

The narrative often follows a single protagonist, frequently someone with a troubled past, who begins to notice something is wrong in their seemingly perfect environment. They face disbelief from those around them as they investigate, leading them to question their own perception. The story escalates from isolated anomalies to a life-or-death confrontation with a hidden, manipulative force.

Why These Movies?

Movies in this thread are grouped by their core narrative of psychological isolation and gaslighting. They share a tense, paranoid mood where the protagonist's internal struggle is mirrored by an external, hidden conspiracy. The pacing is typically fast, with rising dread, and the emotional weight is heavy, dealing with themes of mental health, control, and the fragility of reality.

High-tech confined thrillers similar to Distorted

Claustrophobic stories where advanced technology becomes a tool for sinister control.For viewers who liked the setting of The Pinnacle in Distorted, this list features movies with a similar vibe of high-tech paranoia in confined spaces. Discover thrillers where advanced surveillance and smart-home technology turn against the inhabitants, creating a claustrophobic and suspenseful experience. Find more films about sinister experiments and deceptive environments.

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Narrative Summary

These stories often unfold within a single, technologically advanced location that initially seems like a paradise. The protagonist discovers that the systems they rely on—surveillance, automation, communication—are being used to manipulate, observe, or harm them. The narrative involves a race against time to expose the truth and escape a environment that has become a prison.

Why These Movies?

These films are connected by their distinctive atmosphere: a blend of modern, sterile aesthetics with underlying menace. They share a fast pacing driven by the immediacy of the threat within the confined space, a tense and anxious tone, and a theme of technology as a double-edged sword. The experience is intensely claustrophobic and psychologically disturbing.

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Distorted Summary

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Characters, Settings & Themes in Distorted

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