By Sharai Bohannon

Alex Russell’s feature debut is cringey and compelling.

The relationship between celebrities and their fans has always been interesting, to say the least. Historically, people have fainted, cried, and worshipped many different stars over the decades. This has only gotten worse in the age of the internet, with stans and parasocial relationships running unchecked. There have also been many instances where that idolization became something sinister and resulted in trauma and sometimes tragedy. These relationships have produced many think pieces, movies (Misery), and shows (Swarm). However, few things capture those awkward and uncomfortable dynamics as creepily as Lurker.

Alex Russell’s Lurker introduces us to Matthew (Théodore Pellerin), who is working in a trendy clothing store the day a celebrity walks in. Oliver (Archie Madekwe), a popular recording artist surrounded by enablers, is surprised that Matthew seemingly is unfamiliar with his work. He invites him to be his guest at a show that night to hang out and hear his music. This is the beginning of an unusual relationship between the two that sees power dynamics continually shift. Matthew seemingly gets sucked into this world and becomes one of the people Oliver treats as if he’s a toy to play with when he’s bored. This leads Matthew and others in Oliver’s circle to compete to see who is most useful and who gets to stay in the star’s orbit. This is interesting on its own, but obviously, Russell throws in some complications to make the runtime worth it.

It’s not a gag that Matthew was playing a long con to get himself close to Oliver. We know he’s sad even before we realize that the only person who might love him is his Grandma Christine (Myra Turley), whom he also lives with. He doesn’t have much going for him at the job he hates, either, so it makes sense that he would give up everything to make being near Oliver his life’s purpose. It even scans that everything we know about him is part of an elaborate plot. However, the question of what exactly he wants from this relationship is the thing that keeps you invested. Is it simply a matter of becoming internet famous? Or are he and Oliver beginning to lean into an unsuspecting attraction? It could be either, both, or too many other possibilities that are all compelling. While the movie has fun edging us with Matthew’s main objective, and if/when it actually changes, it’s a fun ride nonetheless.

Lurker lives at the intersection of cringe and tension. Pellerin’s performance is funny and leaves you wondering what his character is truly capable of. We’re all too familiar with celebrities who are no longer with us because a fan got too close. That worry hung over the film even when I thought it might be safe to let it go. We also get glimpses of a character who believes any attention is good attention from the object in his crosshairs. 

Madekwe uses Oliver to prove that he is capable of so much more than we have even seen from him yet. He manages to be that frustrating sort of eccentric creative that doesn’t hear the word no nearly enough. Oliver’s God complex is on full display for most of the first two acts as people bend themselves to serve him. When he is eventually blackmailed by Matthew, we see the exterior crumble a bit to reveal a child who is actually terrified of the monster living down the hall. We also find out the actor can sing, which is good because quite a few of these songs are earworms that demand repeat listens. However, that was a happy accident that changed Russell’s original wish to have Oliver be a bad singer as part of the joke.

Pellerin and Madekwe find so many levels in Russell’s script that it at times feels like a kaleidoscope. If you turn it a bit, their relationship looks one way. However, if you turn it another way, it’s the opposite. The filmmaker blurs the lines between love and obsession and uses the two characters to continually flip that coin. They take turns driving each other mad and jostling to be alpha in their unique situation while trying to get unspoken needs met by the other. Pat Scola’s cinematography captures the absurdity and various kinds of tension brewing between the two. This world looks appealing, and you understand how people find themselves trapped in it, even if you don’t agree with what they do to remain there. It’s seductive and cool even though it’s clearly shallow.

The VIP supporting actor award should go to Havana Rose Liu for playing Shai. She’s the voice of reason in this situation and knows more than she would like to about all parties involved. She’s also one of the few women in this bro-filled entourage. Liu keeps everything controlled, but on the surface, so you see Shai cutting through the BS and clocking everyone for who they really are. You also watch her lose respect for them in real time as they reveal just how awful they each truly are. She might not be proud of what she has to let slide to keep her job, but even she has limits and assumed others would too.

Lurker is a fun exploration of stardom, fan culture, and modern-day celebrity. The film might be a bit too long, and some moments especially feel like they could have been trimmed or cut completely, but it’s forgivable. Especially when you remember that this is Russell’s first feature after years of working on popular TV shows.

The writer and director flew in for a Q&A following the MUBI Fest screening of the film and seemed eager to talk to fans. During the conversation, he shared that he typically sits in a back middle seat and watches people squirm during various parts of the film. However, he claimed he didn’t do that for this screening as he settled in to talk about his movie, the music, and the response to the film. He also pointed out repeatedly that he was honored that so many people came out when the film is now available on two different streaming platforms. 

After his official Q&A was over, he asked if they could open it up for some fan questions, and this is when he really came alive. The staff allowed him to take two, and the second person chosen happened to be a fan of the film in the first row. She shared that she has watched it five times, but this was her first time seeing it in a theater. The fan commented that the audience laughed at parts she never laughed at because she thought it was incredibly serious, since it’s something a lot of people can relate to. She also volunteered that she relates to Oliver and Matthew before asking how Russell worked through figuring out how obsessed they should be with each other at what points in the script. Russell explained he worked it out while writing each individual scene and shared a bit about his process.

It was the perfectly cute meta button on a movie that dances on the line between love and obsession.