From its glossy exterior, where courses are packaged as self-improvement, to the dark underbelly of sexual assault, pyramid scheme marketing, and secret collusion, “The Pickup Game” pulls back the curtain to reveal a world that is not only fascinating but horrific in equal measure.

With hereto unprecedented access to the biggest and most controversial names in the industry and those trying to make them accountable, the documentary goes behind the scenes to explore the motivations of people that get involved in this pervasive subculture, the techniques they employ, and the near-fanatical following this industry demands.

The “pickup industry” is a trade that teaches tactics and lessons to men on how to talk to, date, charm, and effectively manipulate women to reach their ultimate goal: taking them to bed.

The O’Connor Brothers documentary examines how shy, unconfident men become seduced, and morally corrupted by what appears to be an alluring ideology that speaks to their frustrations, and guarantees a dating life beyond their wildest dreams.

The result is a cult-like environment, with its own warped perspective on the world that leads to serious consequences outside the subculture. “The Pickup Game” examines the humanitarian cost of those consumed by this industry. Not just to the women who become objectified and mistreated but also to the students who lose their entire sense of self inside the pickup echo-chamber.

At a time when sexual harassment is a huge part of the current social conversation, this documentary shines a light on this hidden world and jump-starts a discussion regarding the dangers of this mentality; both to the women that become victims of it and the students that fall prey to its darker side.

It lays bare the techniques and strategies employed by the pickup industry on women, as well as its dehumanizing mantra and the horrific consequences of those attitudes. Simultaneously, it exposes how the instructors, self-proclaimed internet gurus, intoxicated by the adulation and financial gain of building an army of followers, ruthlessly exploit their student’s need for love and belonging.

Ultimately, however, out of all this darkness, there is a message of hope. Specifically that, in reality, even the most socially awkward and clumsy are much more attractive than they realize, and as difficult as it can sometimes be, being honest and authentic is in and of itself very attractive. It is this that people should aim for.