The movie Antitrust (2001) is a tech thriller focusing on Milo Hoffman, a young and talented computer programmer. Milo is recruited by NURV, one of the world's largest software companies, led by the charismatic and powerful Gary Winston. Initially impressed by the opportunity and the cutting-edge work environment, Milo soon discovers that NURV is involved in illegal activities, including intellectual property theft and the murder of those who resist.

As Milo digs deeper, he uncovers a sinister plan exploiting open-source software and developers to give Winston complete control over global software. Milo must decide whether to stay true to his ethics or submit to the company's pressures, putting his life and the lives of his loved ones at risk. The film explores themes of ethics in technology, software freedom, and manipulation by large multinational corporations.

I watched this movie as a student, on a Friday afternoon when I wanted to see something tech-related. Since then, it has become my number one film related to computer science and programming. This is due to its many references to open-source software, scenes showcasing real operating systems from various Linux distributions, and the movie’s motivational phrase: "Human knowledge belongs to the world." At the time, I was not only trying to figure out which area of technology and computer science I would pursue, but it also coincided with the period when I was shaping my political ideology, which was greatly influenced by open and free software.

It’s certainly not an Oscar-worthy film with deep meanings, profound philosophy, or stellar performances, but if you’ve gone through a phase of being into free software, it will definitely leave an impression.

Details:

Antitrust (2001)
Director: Peter Howitt
Writer: Howard Franklin
Music: Don Davis
Starring:

Ryan Phillippe (Milo Hoffman), Tim Robbins (Gary Winston), Rachael Leigh Cook (Lisa Calighan), Claire Forlani (Alice Poulson)