The Canyons

The Canyons follows Ryan and Tara, two affluent but emotionally hollow Angelenos tangled in a dangerous romance that spirals into manipulation and violence. Tara, a sultry and impulsive young woman, lures herself into a relationship with Ryan, a charming yet ruthless man who uses seduction as a weapon. As their affair deepens, the couple brushes against a web of friends and an underworld of sexual power plays that expose the fragility of trust and the cost of vanity. The city glows with neon and pretensions while the pair stays secret, driven by a compulsive need for control. Tensions rise, loyalties shift, threats loom, and consequences begin to surface.

Directed by Paul Schrader from a script by Bret Easton Ellis, The Canyons is a micro budget thriller with a budget of 250 000 dollars. It stars Lindsay Lohan as Tara and Nolan Gerard Funk as Ryan, with James Deen.

Reception to The Canyons was mixed, with critics divided over its chilly tone and moral ambiguities. The film probes desire, power, and performance in a celebrity drenched LA setting, highlighting how glamour can mask loneliness and ethical erosion.