The advent of the Internet has led to a lot of wonderful things. We live our lives online. The ease of using everything online—including our identity and our finances—can be a gift. But it also makes us a target for those who know how to exploit the technology.

But do those that exploit it use it for good, or for evil? That’s a question posed in Life Hack; a new drama that focuses on a group of hackers that found a way to make those who do bad pay. But they end up pushing too far and getting caught in the process.

The film focuses on Kyle (Georgie Farmer). At the outset, he’s facing a parole board who asks if he has learned from his past. As he stumbles to answer, we flash back to see Kyle living his life online. He is connected to his friend Petey (James Scholz), who long ago moved away, and the friends he made online in Sid (Roman Hayeck-Green) and Alex (Yasmin Finney).

They mostly play games and use their skills to expose online predators. But soon, they realize they can use their skills to swindle sharks, too. They set their sights on Don Heard (Charlie Creed-Miles), using his estranged daughter, Lindsay (Jessica Reynolds), to gain a foothold. They come up with a nice payday, and soon decide to do it again.

But Lindsay isn’t pleased with her father, and she isn’t pleased with being played. She tracks down Kyle and soon pressures him to go after Don Heard again, this time for a much bigger score. But it comes with bigger risk, too, especially as Don traffics in online security and information.

This is an interesting approach. The central characters are never together in the same place as this film plays out where they ply their skills—online. It’s told through screens and experiences, but it never feels disconnected. It never feels stale and despite not being in the same location, the connection of the four friends feels real and vibrant.

It’s the type of story that makes sense in 2026, when so many people—especially young people—are living their lives online. I appreciated the craft and the approach from director Ronan Corrigan, who makes the action come to life. I enjoyed the story and the performances, especially the tension created in the third act of the film.

This moves at a good pace, blending action, drama, and humor. I found the story engaging and I appreciated the way it all wrapped up in the end. The young cast does a good job, especially Farmer as Kyle. This will be an engaging film to check out in theaters.

Life Hack opens in limited release on Friday, May 15.

Matthew Fox is a graduate of the Radio, Television and Film program at Biola University, and a giant nerd. He spends his free time watching movies, TV, and obsessing about football. He is a member of the FSWA. You can find him @knighthawk7734 on Twitter and as co-host of the Fantasy Football Roundtable Podcast.