Film Review - Lurker
Images courtesy of Universal Pictures and Park Circus.
In today’s day and age, everybody wants to be someone. We all, deep down, want to be admired, accepted and successful, and this sentiment can potentially be credited to the nature of pop culture and social media. As exhibited in a number of movies, people can become a little too obsessed with this idea, and the newest entry in this cannon is the psychological drama Lurker.
Matthew (Théodore Pellerin) works at a retail clothing store, when one day, up-and-coming pop star Oliver (Archie Madekwe) walks in, who Matthew says he hasn’t heard of. Despite his awkward and introverted persona, Matthew manages to charm Oliver and is invited to join his inner circle. It becomes clear very quickly that Matthew knows exactly who Oliver is, and is unhealthily obsessed with him. As he starts to hang out with Oliver’s crew and friends, he does everything in his power to prove himself to the pop star and please him. However, this isn’t easy, with everybody vying for Oliver’s attention. Soon, Matthew takes the place of Oliver’s documentarian, and becomes his right hand man and artistic assistant. With Oliver, Matthew finally finds the validation he has been searching for, and will not let anybody take that away from him, no matter the cost.
Lurker is a fascinating and unsettling examination of fame and obsession, and the lengths people are willing to go to in order to feel seen. Taking a slow-burn approach, Matthew infiltrates the group and gradually works his way under Oliver’s skin. However, things continue to escalate until Lurker becomes a full-out paranoia thriller, thanks to an unnerving power dynamic between Matthew and Oliver. Watching Matthew try to impress Oliver and those around him is cringeworthy and difficult to watch, and this is largely thanks to the lead performance from Pellerin. He perfectly embodies Matthew’s desperation, jealousy and calculated nature, while Madekwe carefully unveils the fragility and egotism behind Oliver’s facade. The tension between the pair, as well as Matthew’s interactions with the rest of the group, are masterful exercises in unease. The supporting cast is also made of a roundup of notable young indie film stars, such as Havana Rose Liu (Bottoms), Sunny Suljic (Mid90s) and Daniel Zolghadri (Funny Pages). The film couldn’t be more timely with the rise of social media and celebrities, and on this level, people will be able to relate to Matthew (aside from his psychopathic tendencies, hopefully). The narrative blurs the line between fan and friend, demonstrating how powerful and dangerous the idea of “celebrity” can be.
Lurker is an impressive independent film that presents itself as a cautionary tale for the modern and inter-connected world we live in today.
Follow Alyssa on Letterboxd and Instagram.
Lurker is screening in cinemas from Thursday the 27th of November.