This is the story of Edward Snowden (played by Joseph Gordon-Levitt), a top contractor for the National Security Agency, who discovers that a virtual mountain of data is being collated to track all forms of digital communication, not just from foreign governments and terrorist groups, but from all Americans. Disenchanted by this discovery Snowden decides to leak this classified information, he becomes a 'traitor to some, a hero to others and a fugitive from the law.'

Hear many beautifully recorded string quartet arrangements by Janos Lehar of well-known classical work in the album Light Classics. Music from this album has been used in the movie.