The feature directorial debut of Alex Russell, a writer behind beloved series like Beef and The Bear, captures all the chills of a stalker story and spins it into a modern tale of fame-seeking fueled by strong performances and rich thrills.
The film, Lurker, follows a loner named Matt (Theodore Pellerin) as he injects himself into the social circle of up-and-coming pop star Oliver (Archie Madekwe). Although Matt earns himself a role as Oliver’s documentarian, his desperation for more takes their dynamic to dark corners. For the most part, Lurker plays out like a typical stalker flick where Matt’s presence stretches to uncomfortable lengths. He constantly overextends his reach and displays a brewing jealousy that eventually causes things to break down. It’s every bit as unsettling as you’d expect and, generally, follows the suspenseful path fans love about this sub-genre.
But, Russell’s vision is what sets Lurker apart as he cooks up a well-executed premise.
Russell’s writing and direction shift tones with ease and generally maintain a sense of surprise. One of the most unexpected aspects of Lurker is the strings of dark comedy that stem directly from Matt’s social awkwardness. Early on, Matt is completely driven by an eagerness to belong that makes his attempts at fitting in pretty funny. Whether it’s the wild first impression he makes on Oliver’s friend group where he lets it all hang loose or his random injections just to put his voice out there, Matt’s social awkwardness can be downright comical. It’s always funny to see everyone give him strange looks or a pregnant pause after he says something, and Oliver’s main friend Swett (Zack Fox) isn’t afraid to hilariously call Matt out, making him a total scene-stealer. Russell finds great ways to poke fun at Matt’s determination to fit into Oliver’s inner circle, and it results in some light-hearted laughs that fit neatly into the otherwise eerie tone Lurker provides.
Even when you’re laughing at Matt’s actions, there’s an underlying creepiness to it all that keeps the tension high. In many ways, it’s chilling how Matt worms his way into the group and creates fractures that allow him to dig deeper into Oliver’s life. He’s always plotting some kind of angle to get closer to Oliver and his persistence to nab even the smallest slice of Oliver’s spotlight is alarming. Russell elevates the suspense even more with the aesthetics and atmospheres he establishes. The concept of Matt always using his camera to record and silently peer into Oliver’s life is incredibly unnerving and perfectly ties into the film’s title. Oliver’s pop persona and the club settings give Lurker a modern dark-fantasy feel that symbolizes the “higher” view Matt has of Oliver. Plus, the way Russell captures Matt’s less than ideal personal life adds a necessary depth to his persistence. It makes his motivations both crushingly empathetic yet sadly pathetic, ensuring he’s not letting go once he’s in. Russell really crafts a banger stalker story that constantly sheds its skin to evolve into a genre-bending crowd-pleaser that’s led by a remarkable leading duo.
Pellerin delivers a star-making performance that you can’t take your eyes off of. He flawlessly grounds Matt in ways that are realistically terrifying and can hit close to home with universal desires to be seen. He can jump from slick and sinister to paranoid and frantic in an instant, constantly keeping viewers on edge. Pellerin is a perfect centerpiece to Lurker’s thrills, and might deliver one of the most sure to be underrated performances of the year. Even better, he’s paired with an equally compelling force in Madekwe, who has a stellar screen presence. He presents himself as a larger than life figure, despite Oliver’s more underground standing in the music scene, and has a voice that gives Oliver a hypnotic pull. You can see why Oliver is so drawn to him, and Madekwe’s able to tap into the human and celebrity sides of Oliver to deliver a complex portrayal of an aspiring star. Honestly, the supporting cast is great too as they effectively influence the rocky relationship between Matt and Oliver to constantly turn the screws.
Where Russell really excels though is the jaw-dropping final act that’s consumed by a stunning turning of the tables. There’s this greater conflict that arises between Matt and Oliver that takes their fraught connection to new, almost petty lows. There’s plenty of disturbing shifts in power that rack your brain and leave you guessing where things will end. It’s also where the film’s themes reach their full potential. There’s a riveting, honest conversation between Matt and Oliver that digs deep into the lingering thoughts surrounding who needs who that defines their entire relationship. It’s an immersive exploration into the innate yearning to be seen that hovers over the current age of social media, and creates reflective thoughts around how and why we idolize one another. It’s where the film, and the performances reach new levels of intrigue and that final scene caps off the battle of wills in a gripping, heart-wrenching fashion.
Lurker is a top-tier debut from Russell that embodies the best, most entertaining aspects of stalker stories while also flipping the script on your perceptions. It’s a must-see experience that begs for large crowd reactions and earns every sense of shock it evokes. With Beef, The Bear, and now Lurker under his belt, Russell is shaping up to be a name worth watching going forward for the crafty, subversive material he provides.
