Lurker (review) – a knotty tale of obsession, power, celebrity, toxicity, and artistic survival

Alex Russell’s choice of a lo-fi filming aesthetic, utilising 16mm film and handheld video, only further intensifies the unsettling atmosphere of his knotty tale of obsession, power, celebrity, toxicity, and artistic survival, Lurker.

In an age of social media, blogs, and fanfiction, many people (so-called super fans) believe they are a part of the lives of the celebrities they follow. Celebrities themselves often foster this sense of connection, especially those who have built their fanbase through social media. But when does fandom become sinister? And when do the boundaries between a celebrity or public figure and a fan or follower become blurred, problematic, or even dangerous? These questions sit at the heart of Alex Russell’s knotty feature debut Lurker.

Up-and-coming musician Oliver (Archie Madekwe) surrounds himself with followers – people who say just the right things to boost his ego, and provide him with friendship outside of his music industry bubble. Matthew (the outstanding Théodore Pellerin) has long admired Oliver from afar, even though he hasn’t admitted it to anyone in his orbit, including his only real ‘friend’, Jamie (Sunny Suljic), who works alongside him at a trendy LA clothes store. Matthew knows that Oliver occasionally cruises the clothing stores. So when he arrives at his shop, his entourage of ‘friends’ in tow, he knows exactly how to play the situation, as he plays one of Oliver’s favourite songs over the in-store system – a song that immediately attracts the attention of the young star.

Intrigued by the music selection, Oliver commends Matthew on his taste and finds Matthew’s grounded, blasé response alluring. It’s a response Matthew has practised, honed, and crafted in his bedroom at night, and one that is about to lead to an invite backstage at Oliver’s gig. But as Matthew arrives in the backstage rooms full of people, whom Oliver classifies as ‘friends’, but in reality, are hangers-on competing for his attention and a slice of the lifestyle he enjoys, Matthew quickly realises that he will need to earn his place at Oliver’s side. Matthew’s dance alongside Oliver is one of ego-stroking manipulation, lies and gameplay as he cements his place and ensures Oliver has nowhere to turn but to him.

The base notes of Alex Russell’s debut feature carry the same beat as classic psychological thrillers, ranging from The Talented Mr Ripley to Single White Female. But unlike those thrillers, Russell’s assured debut has no intention of offering simple answers, heroes and villains or classic Hollywood endings. Russell’s focus is on his characters as events spiral and the relationship between Oliver and Matthew morphs from an uncomfortable dance into a game of cat-and-mouse. Throughout, there is sexual tension in Matthew’s actions, but whether this stems from attraction to Oliver or a need to own him in every way possible is left for the viewer to explore and interrogate. As this cat-and-mouse game progresses, growing darker by the minute, we are ultimately left with two damaged souls who can’t do without each other, one artistically and the other because of the position he now holds.

Russell’s choice of a lo-fi filming aesthetic, utilising 16mm film and handheld video, only further intensifies the unsettling atmosphere of this tale of obsession, power, celebrity, toxicity, and artistic survival. But it’s the performances of Théodore Pellerin, who also shone in this year’s Solo, and Archie Madekwe, who lit up the screen in Saltburn, that make this knotty thriller tick. Add the exquisite sound design of John Warrin, which takes us from moments of silence and introspection to sudden dissonance through the sublime score of Kenny Beats, and Lurker becomes one of the year’s best and most unsettling psychological thrillers.    

Lurker is now playing in cinemas nationwide.