There is nothing remarkable about Matthew (Théodore Pellerin) in Alex Russell’s hit thriller Lurker, the assured feature debut from the Beef and The Bear writer that had its premiere at Sundance. But there is something disconcerting and predatory about the character’s true nature that fizzes throughout.
Lurker is a smart present-day account of stalking to gain notoriety that downplays traditional theatrics, tropes and scares while subtly highlighting the key use of social media and technology as the lurker’s most convenient weapons. Here, Russell also blends the boundaries between acceptable and concerning conduct as Matthew realises his ambitions are within reach, leading to impulsive, ugly and destructive behaviour to retain them.
An unassuming and seemingly socially awkward Matthew is seen working in a a trendy L.A. clothes store when rising music star Oliver (Saltburn‘s Archie Madekwe) comes in and looks around. Impressed by Matthew’s music tastes, Oliver invites him to his live show because he wants “a real person there” to give him an opinion on his latest work. After an embarrassing initiation scene backstage with Oliver and crew, Matthew is invited to taste the celebrity lifestyle in an airy, modern hillside pad they all live in, making himself useful whenever he can, even washing dishes and putting out the trash, while grabbing every opportunity to bask in Oliver’s star quality and generosity.
Matthew’s big break comes when he films Oliver oversharing personal moments with a retro video camera and is then welcomed into the entourage’s inner circle as the documentary filmmaker – much to the dislike of suspicious resident videographer Noah (Daniel Zolghadri). A trip abroad to work on Oliver’s next music promotion sees an increasingly desperate Matthew scheming further to keep his newfound place in this glamorous world and makeshift family that begins a catastrophic escalation of events.
Pat Scola’s camerawork cleverly uses different framing and exposure to accentuate the mood; with easy-going, carefree moments filmed with a lingering frame blasted by hazy natural light, while tightening in on Pellerin’s features in the sepia-induced shadows to show the character’s calculating nature, as well as constrained Oliver’s increasing suffocation and fear. There is a telling scene during a music video shoot where Oliver sings to camera in a studio while being shot at with paintballs. Both Pellerin and Madekwe effortlessly ratchet up the tension on screen, punctuated by jovial moments to lighten the load in a dangerous game of wit that plays out in the latter half of the film. From fervent pupil to master manipulator Matthew’s compelling arc is the backbone of this whole journey and Pellerin does not disappoint in his depiction.
Lurker becomes a cinematic lesson in obsession, not necessarily of an individual, but of a desired goal that the trappings of fame incites. In a ‘chicken and egg’ scenario, it continually exams whether Matthew is a victim or a perpetrator of his current reality as other characters react to him.
