At first glance, writer/director Alex Russell’s debut feature film doesn’t appear very compelling, riffing on the relationship between celebrity fame and obsessive fandom that has been done to death. That trepidation is borne out by the tepid opening act that tracks a typical arc, following a fan named Matthew (Théodore Pellerin) as he worms his way into the inner circle of his hero, rising pop-star Oliver (Archie Madekwe). It’s only when Matthew inevitably falls from grace that Russell turns on the afterburner, delivering a mesmerizing final act filled with unexpected developments and stirring performances by the two leads.
Buy LurkerWhen we first meet Matthew, he’s a lowly clerk at a trendy L.A. clothing store who gets the star encounter of his dreams when Oliver appears with his entourage. Quickly playing a deep cut song favored by Oliver on the store PA, he catches Oliver’s attention and feigns no knowledge of his celebrity, earning him an offer to hang out. From there, he enters Oliver’s orbit on the lowest rung of assorted yes men, desperately fighting for permanence in the face of Oliver’s fleeting attention.
Oliver is portrayed as a typical vapid young celebrity, showing some promise on his debut album but now trapped in the L.A.-fame ecosystem of superficial acolytes who only love him for his status. Only his assistant Shai (Havana Rose Liu) seems to have a decent moral compass, but makes no effort to reign in Oliver’s indulgences. In short, Oliver is ripe to be plied by anyone willing to boost his lofty opinion of himself.
With its L.A. pop-music setting and similar character types, the film most closely resembles HBO’s notorious The Idol, but where Sam Levinson and the Weeknd never managed to dig beneath the veneer of their spectacle, Russell is invested in chipping away at his characters’ facades to reveal their deeper nature. This affords his leads the opportunity to develop fascinating characters that are both wildly different by the end, having both been forever changed by their chance encounter. It’s also his personal diatribe about the fame industry after his years of firsthand experience while writing for The Bear and Beef.
The MUBI Blu-ray arrives nicely packaged in a clear Criterion-style case and slipcase, but unfortunately contains no bonus features. The picture is formatted at 2.39:1, while default sound is DTS-HD MA 5.1. While image and sound reproduction are flawless, cinematography choices may leave something to be desired. The film was actually shot on film, and includes noticeable specks and an overall warm but degraded look more akin to ‘70s film than its present-day setting. Also, a key component of the film is Matthew’s interspersed documentary footage commissioned by Oliver, regrettably captured on a retro cool camcorder for the impractical aesthetic, complete with heavy shake and lousy definition, making for some queasy viewing moments.
After a typical start, Lurker grows into an impressive showcase for Russell and his two leads. Pellerin skillfully transforms his character from ingratiating loser to self-assured mastermind, while Madekwe gets to prove he isn’t his flashy character with some soulful, emotive work in the closing half hour. Russell’s story is intense but avoids devolving into thriller territory, with his assured direction maintaining a heady sense of realism that is all too believable.
