Nerve 2016

On Staten Island, high school senior Venus “Vee” Delmonico (Emma Roberts) is navigating the digital landscape, where social media notifications can hold the power to alter her reality. A Facebook alert from her long-held crush, J.P. (Brian Marc), serves as a reminder of their shared online presence. Meanwhile, her friend Sydney (Emily Meade) reaches out via Skype, introducing Vee to the concept of “Nerve,” an upcoming game that promises thrills and financial rewards for those willing to take risks.

Sydney, ever the enthusiast, is eager to recruit Vee into the world of Nerve, but Vee remains skeptical. Her concerns extend beyond the virtual realm, as she grapples with the prospect of leaving her mother, Nancy (Juliette Lewis), behind in their grief-stricken household. The weight of unresolved pain lingers since the passing of Vee’s brother, a wound that neither parent has fully healed.

As Vee goes about her daily routine, capturing memories for the yearbook and socializing with friends like Tommy (Miles Heizer), Liv (Kimiko Glenn), and Wes (Marc John Jeffries) at school pep rallies. It is here that Sydney presents Liv with a dare, which she completes in front of their peers. The gang then heads out to dinner, where Syd continues to encourage Vee to take the leap into Nerve’s world.

Their evening takes an unexpected turn when they run into J.P., who rebuffs Sydney’s attempt to set him up with Vee. Feeling rejected and deflated, Vee retreats home, only to find solace in the digital realm. She logs onto Nerve, where she learns the rules of the game: players must record their dares on their phones, and those who fail or quit will forfeit their earnings. Moreover, Nerve’s mantra is clear: no one can betray its secrets, lest they face severe consequences.

With a sense of trepidation, Vee decides to take the plunge into the world of Nerve, unaware of the far-reaching implications her decision will have on her life and those around her. As she embarks on this perilous journey, Nerve begins to infiltrate her personal sphere, collecting her most intimate details with unsettling precision.

As Vee’s first dare unfolds, Tommy receives the call to transport her to a diner for a bold endeavor - a five-second kiss with a stranger worth $100. The clock ticks away as Vee hesitates to make her choice, her eyes scanning the room until they land on Ian (Dave Franco), lost in the pages of Virginia Woolf’s “To The Lighthouse”. With Tommy recording the dare, Vee seals the deal and turns to face her friend, only to discover that Ian has vanished into thin air. Moments later, he reappears, his presence a precursor to a grand performance as part of his own dare. As Vee watches in awe, Ian’s antics bring the diner to life, culminating in an invitation for her to join him on a motorcycle ride through the city - a proposition that proves impossible to resist.

As they make their way into the metropolis, Vee and Ian part ways, only to reunite at a high-end boutique where Vee is dared to try on a couture dress. The surprise awaits them both as they discover that all of their belongings have been pilfered from the dressing rooms, leaving no choice but to strip down and leave in their underwear, their departure captured by eager onlookers. A chance encounter with Ty (Machine Gun Kelly), a player who claims to know Ian intimately, sets the stage for the next dare, as Vee’s phone buzzes with anticipation.

Meanwhile, Tommy has been tracking Vee’s progress from afar, his curiosity piqued by her daring exploits. He enlists the help of his hacker friend Azhar (Samira Wiley), gaining access to a mysterious website called Aruba and uncovering Ian’s shady past - a year-old record of him playing Nerve, hanging precariously from a crane alongside two other thrill-seekers.

As Syd continues her own dares, she finds herself surrounded by Liv and Wes in the midst of a city adventure. However, her euphoria is short-lived as she discovers that Vee’s follower count is rapidly closing in on hers, fueling a growing sense of competition between the two daredevils.

In a bold move, Ian (no actor specified) discreetly commissions a tattoo artist for Vee, with whom they share a special bond. The design of choice is a beaconing lighthouse, paying homage to Vee’s beloved literary masterpiece. This intimate gesture further cements their connection.

Meanwhile, Nancy and Vee notice an unexpected influx of funds into their joint account, prompting them to seek answers from Tommy (no actor specified). Initially hesitant to betray his friend’s trust, Tommy eventually reveals that Vee has landed a job and is receiving salary deposits in her name. Little do they know, this sudden windfall is merely the tip of the iceberg.

As night falls, Vee and Ian take a whimsical ride on a carousel, while Syd (no actor specified) and her friends party at a nearby house. The atmosphere is electric as Vee confides in Ian about her plan to join Nerve, not for the thrill-seeking itself, but to prove a point to Syd - that her own insecurity stems from Syd’s own vulnerabilities. Syd, however, remains oblivious to this subtle jab and instead focuses on recruiting Ty (no actor specified) for her next daredevil stunt.

Ian wisely advises Vee to join the party, where she hopes to put her concerns with Syd to rest. However, things quickly escalate as Syd becomes inebriated and is dared to traverse a precarious ladder spanning two apartments. Her fear of heights intensifies when she loses her phone mid-stunt, forcing her to abandon Nerve.

Vee and Ian’s arrival at the party coincides with the aftermath of Syd’s failed dare. The tension between Vee and Syd boils over into a full-blown confrontation, leaving Syd humiliated and defeated. Undeterred, Vee decides to complete Syd’s abandoned dare, effortlessly navigating the same perilous ladder.

In the aftermath, Vee discovers Syd has moved on, passionately embracing J.P. (no actor specified). Her world is turned upside down when she learns that Ian was covertly encouraged by Nerve to orchestrate a fight between her and Syd. Fuming with anger, Vee chooses to report Nerve’s nefarious activities to the authorities. Ian hastily pursues her, imploring her not to make the call, but his words fall on deaf ears.

As Vee confides in a police officer about Nerve’s existence, he remains unmoved by her concerns. The news that all their funds have been drained from their joint account sends Nancy scrambling to uncover the truth. With Ian nowhere to be found, Vee encounters Ty, who confesses his need to win the game and proceeds to knock her unconscious.

As Vee’s gaze flickers open, she finds herself trapped within a metal container, where the ominous mantra “SNITCHES GET STITCHES” taunts her from every angle. The air is heavy with tension as a television screen suddenly springs to life, its digital voice dripping with malevolence. The computerized narrator coldly delivers its verdict: Vee’s betrayal has placed her under Nerve’s merciless control, with the ruthless organization dictating every aspect of her existence, from her family and relationships to her very future. To escape this living nightmare, Vee must win the twisted game that now governs her life. As she stumbles out of the container, a disembodied voice instructs her to board the ferry, setting in motion a desperate bid for freedom.

On the ship’s deck, Vee encounters Ian (character A), who shares his own harrowing tale of entrapment within Nerve’s sinister game. A year prior, Ian, Ty, and their friend Robbie had been dared to defy gravity by hanging from a towering crane. Tragedy struck when Robbie lost his grip and fell to his untimely demise. Ian and Ty had naively sought help from the authorities, only to have Nerve exact brutal retribution, destroying Ian’s financial stability and his father’s livelihood. Now, driven by a desire for revenge and redemption, Ian proposes a plan: he will undertake a dare that not only outpaces Ty but also paves the way for Vee to join him in the game’s final showdown.

Meanwhile, Vee reconnects with Tommy and Syd (characters), forging an alliance as they quietly mobilize their own strategy. As the stakes escalate, Ian takes on a new challenge: suspended from a crane by one hand, he must endure five long seconds of agony before the dare is complete. His triumphant success propels him to the top tier of the game.

Vee’s path takes her through the city’s bustling streets, where she is tasked with retrieving a mysterious package. Her anticipation gives way to shock as she discovers its contents: a loaded firearm that will undoubtedly alter the course of her journey.

As the curtain opens on the final showdown in the arena, Vee and Ian take center stage, surrounded by a crowd of over a hundred eager onlookers. Meanwhile, Tommy and Syd team up with Azhar to infiltrate Nerve’s digital realm, while Nancy joins the group, her eyes fixed intently on the unfolding drama. The dare that awaits them is nothing short of surreal: Vee and Ian must face off in a deadly game of Russian roulette, their lives hanging precariously in the balance.

As the tension builds, Ian implores Vee to take aim at him, assuring her that only by doing so can she emerge victorious. But Vee refuses to play along, instead opting for a bold and unexpected move: she takes matters into her own hands, choosing to pull the trigger herself. The crowd erupts in cheers as Ty, the enigmatic figure orchestrating this mayhem, steps forward with gun in hand. With Nerve’s server hacked into, Vee’s fate is left up to a vote - and to everyone’s shock, the majority decides that she should take her last breath.

As Ty pulls the trigger, Ian rushes to catch Vee as she falls, only to reveal that it was all just an elaborate ruse. With Nerve’s server now under their control, Azhar and his cohorts shut down the platform for good, freeing millions from its toxic grasp. But the real magic begins when Vee reveals her true intentions: with Ty’s help, she’d orchestrated the entire spectacle to expose the dark underbelly of Nerve’s sinister games.

As reality sets in, Vee and Ian share a tender moment, their bond strengthened by the trials they’ve faced together. As the sun rises on a new day, they seal their love with a kiss, their names etched forever in the annals of this wild ride.