Review by Eric Hillis
Directed by: Alex Russell
Starring: Théodore Pellerin, Archie Madekwe, Sunny Suljic, Havana Rose Liu, Zack Fox, Daniel Zolghadri
Lurker, the feature debut of writer/director Alex Russell, mashes up Cameron Crowe's Almost Famous and Joseph Losey's The Servant to create a skin-crawling thriller of social climbing ambition. It's centred on two young men whose shared obsession with becoming a somebody sees them form a parasite/host relationship, but the lines are blurred regarding just who is really the parasite and who is the host.
While working in a Los Angeles boutique clothing store, Matthew (Théodore Pellerin) encounters rising British pop star Oliver (Archie Madekwe). Matthew claims to be unaware of Oliver's music, but catches his attention by playing Nile Rodgers' 1983 banger 'My Love Song for You' on the store's sound system. Oliver invites Matthew backstage at his gig that night, and Matthew is surprised that this famous young man is willing to spend time with him.
Matthew is clearly socially awkward, something immediately picked up on and exploited by Oliver's coterie of hangers-on and yes-men who mock Matthew with playground gags and coerce him into cleaning up their messes. But Oliver appears to display a genuine affection for Matthew. He's drawn to Matthew's honesty regarding his music. Rather than simply telling him he's the GOAT, Matthew makes critical suggestions. When Oliver discovers Matthew's interest in photography, he hires him to act as camera operator on a documentary that he hopes will reveal his "authenticity" to the world.
Lurker is a rare thriller in which there is no real suggestion that a murder might take place, which makes it all the more tangible. It's also never clear who the victim might be, as both Oliver and Matthew are reprehensible figures who ultimately exploit each other.
In the movie's second half the influence of Losey comes to the fore as Matthew finds a cunning way to manipulate Oliver into falling under his control. Matthew's former bullies find themselves forced to grin and bear it as he lords it over them. Adding to the discomfort is the film's racial element, albeit this may simply be a result of colourblind casting. Oliver and his group are all people of colour who ultimately become slaves to the white Matthew's power trip. There is a hint of homoeroticism too, though it's unclear if Matthew is attracted to Oliver or to the idea of Oliver. Russell cleverly needle drops James and Bobby Purify's bubblegum pop hit 'I'm Your Puppet' twice, with the song taking on a different meaning each time as the master/slave dynamic shifts.
With their respective roles in Saltburn and Family First, Madekwe and Pellegrin have already played two of the most unlikeable characters in recent cinema. They channel that energy into Oliver and Matthew with great effect. Initially we have some sympathy for both of these young men, neither of whom seem happy with their lot. But as we spend time in their unappealing company we realise that they're both ruthless exploiters, willing to do anything to make a name for themselves. We spend the movie's first half willing Matthew to get away from the malign influence of Oliver, and this dynamic is reversed in the second half. But Matthew and Oliver are made for one another, and Lurker might even be read as the origin story of a super-villain duo on their way to world domination.
Lurker is in UK/ROI cinemas from December 12th.
