Swiped

Present-day, within a single academic year, the events unfold across fall and into Christmas break. The period centers on smartphones, social apps, and an emphasis on instant gratification. The setting reflects modern college life where technology reshapes dating and personal boundaries.

Set on a contemporary college campus, the story moves between a shared dorm where Jungle is coded and tested, and a sorority house that becomes James's refuge. It also visits the family home during Christmas as the app's consequences spill into private life. The campus environment and dorm culture serve as a backdrop for social experimentation and peer pressure around hookup culture.

💻 Technology and Relationships

The film uses Jungle to show how hookups can be commodified, turning human connection into data. It explores how a smartphone-based culture pressures people into quick encounters without emotional attachment. The narrative demonstrates the moral consequences of prioritizing convenience over consent, privacy, and trust. The story suggests that real connection requires more than a program.

⚖️ Ethics and Responsibility

James grapples with responsibility when his code enables harm to his family and friends. He faces the ethical tension between his talent and the potential damage it can cause, confronting Lance and eventually exposing the truth. The film questions who bears accountability when technology outpaces personal judgment. It ends with a move toward responsibility and personal honesty.

🫂 Community vs Isolation

Isolation and connection are pitted against each other as characters retreat from screens or seek shelter in community spaces. Hannah's sorority house becomes a sanctuary where genuine relationships can exist beyond apps. The story emphasizes real conversations, boundaries, and empathy as antidotes to the loneliness fostered by digital networks.