LifeHack Review
There’s nothing quite like a heist film—the action, the suspense, the thrill of watching an elaborate plan unfold. While the genre itself is far from new, heist stories continue to captivate audiences. But imagine experiencing a heist entirely through a screen.
The screenlife thriller LifeHack, directed by Ronan Corrigan, reimagines the traditional heist narrative through a cyber-world inhabited by four teenagers depicted as “Digital Robin Hoods.” This is a term used for cyber-vigilantes who target exploitative systems and criminal organizations to expose corruption, scams, and protect vulnerable people online. The film immediately establishes this idea in its opening sequence, where the group infiltrates a scam call center, exposes its operations, and alerts the police, leading to a raid on the building.
The group, consisting of Kyle (Georgie Farmer, Wednesday), Alex (Yasmin Finney, Heartstopper), Sid (Roman Hayeck-Green, Empire of Light), and Petey (YouTuber James Scholz), then set their sights on a much bigger target: tech billionaire and crypto investor Don Heard (Charlie Creed-Miles, Wild Bill). Kyle shares with the group his many interviews and podcast appearances where Heard is pompously boasting about his crypto fortune. The character is clearly portraying figures like Elon Musk, however, it is important to note that LifeHack is inspired by true events. It is based on the 2018 cyberheist carried out by 15-year-old Ellis Pinsky, the New York teenager nicknamed “Baby Al Capone,” who stole $23.8 million in cryptocurrency from well-known investor Michael Terpin.
Wanting to steal a small portion of Heard’s crypto fortune, Kyle targets his influencer daughter Lindsey (Jessica Reynolds, Outlander), who shares every aspect of her life online, making it easy for the group to gather the personal information needed to access her father’s account. The theft goes smoothly, and Kyle and his friends quickly begin enjoying the benefits of their newfound money.
Things take a turn when Lindsey discovers their scheme and uncovers Kyle’s identity. He and his friends are then blackmailed into carrying out an impossible task that could leave them facing serious consequences. What follows is a thrilling heist that highlights how digitally connected modern life has become, with every aspect of existence tied to a plethora of platforms and countless apps. Even when Alex has to physically leave her home to complete a task, the audience still experiences it through the screens of the other characters and surrounding security cameras, reinforcing the film’s theme of constant network of surveillance and connectivity.
The editing in this film is incredible, with its use of multiple screens, apps, camera angles, and layered imagery all working seamlessly together to make the viewer feel immersed in the action. The film is further elevated by the four lead performances, which are outstanding given the limited physical scope of their roles. Despite the characters primarily being seated in front of computer screens, the actors deliver compelling performances.
LifeHack is an exciting, high-energy cyber-heist thriller that elevates the screenlife format in fresh ways. It taps into the realities of our hyper-connected digital world while blurring the line between what is legally wrong and what feels morally justified. With strong performances and an intriguing storyline, the film delivers an entertaining ride from start to finish.
Rating: ★★★★☆
LifeHack is now playing in theaters.
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