The movie “Snowden” starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt as Snowden was released into theaters Sept. 16. The movie was created to portray the true story of Edward Snowden (a computer professional) and the case held against him from a first-person point-of-view.

After getting injured in the U.S. Army Reserve, Snowden began a career with the Central Intelligence Agency and later with the National Security Agency.

While working with the NSA, Snowden realizes there is a large amount of data, not only terrorist groups but also on average American citizens. He believes that by obtaining this information, the NSA is violating American rights. Breaking protocol, Snowden decides to speak out in 2013 by leaking the information.

To viewers, these actions make Snowden seem traitorous to the United States, but to others he became a hero for exposing what was going on behind citizens’ backs.

Either way, his actions were deemed illegal and Snowden now lives as a fugitive from the law in Moscow, Russia.