[5] After their initial blog posts about the story go viral, Farrier and Reeve receive legal threats from Jane O'Brien Media, who send Kevin Clarke and two other representatives to New Zealand to meet with them.

Former participants in Jane O'Brien Media's videos describe coercive and manipulative treatment by the producers, such as defamation campaigns against them, exposing their personal information, and contacting associates to discredit them as homosexual or as sexual deviants, all in retaliation for speaking out against the company.

A local recruiter in Muskegon, Michigan, describes "audition" videos he helped make that were published by O'Brien Media without the participants' consent.

From two journalists who had investigated Terri DiSisto years earlier, they learn that D'Amato served a six-month prison sentence for disabling computer systems at two different universities in retaliation against an 18-year-old male student who attempted to terminate an online relationship, which began when the young man was 17.

[13] Manohla Dargis of The New York Times named it a Critic's Pick, writing that "Farrier and Mr. Reeve see the humor, but they also see the pathos—because it's all fun and giggles until someone gets hurt.

"[14][15] Darian Lusk of the New York Observer wrote: "The shocking truth is uncomfortably pursued to its fullest, and the result is a riveting piece of investigative journalism.

"[16] The Salt Lake Tribune gave the film 4.5 stars and called it "an act of journalistic courage", commenting that the filmmakers "reveal the harm that can be done by an individual with a lot of money and a vindictive streak".

[17] Dennis Harvey of Variety stated that the onscreen presence of the filmmakers "is justified because the harassment they experience in pursuing the story becomes a big part of its narrative".

[18] Armond White of Out magazine was critical of the film, commenting that it "zips past its sexual aspects", and concluding that it is ultimately "frustrating, a blue-balls documentary".

[19] Following the film's premiere screening at Sundance, D'Amato—in March 2016—filed a federal lawsuit against the filmmakers for making false accusations, including the implication that D'Amato used extortion and abused minors, and stated that he had no relationship with O'Brien Media.