First-time director Alex Russell executes his premise with precision and style
Lurker
Where: In theatres
What: Movie, 100 minutes
When: Fri., Aug. 29
Genre: Drama
Rating: NNNN (out of 5)
Why you should watch: Lurker is a nerve-racking satire on celebrity culture and the intoxication of fame with brilliant performances from Théodore Pellerin and Archie Madekwe.
“What’s the difference between love and obsession?” laments Madekwe’s (Gran Turismo) pop star Oliver. That is the question that crazed groupie Matthew (Théodore Pellerin) sets off to find out in Alex Russell’s debut feature, Lurker.
Matthew’s life is going nowhere until he has a chance encounter with Oliver, who takes him under his wing, inviting him into a world of Internet stardom. But when Matthew’s intoxicating life begins to break down, he’ll do whatever it takes to keep it and remain Oliver’s closest friend. It’s all very The Talented Mr. Ripley-esque, though, while it may lose points for originality, it more than makes up for it in terms of execution, with Russell crafting a brilliant satire of the cult of celebrity fandom and the desire to be seen by the world, no matter the cost.
The most striking part of Russell’s ability to craft a satirical tale is the deliberate awkwardness he brings to key scenes. There is an uncertain awkwardness about how everyone reacts with each other, especially when anyone talks to Oliver, as they fall over themselves to avoid getting in the way of someone they perceive as so famous and powerful. It brings the film a level of stress akin to a thriller, making scenes feel sweaty as we cringe at the desperate ways people try to stay on Oliver’s good side. This is something we see at the beginning of the movie, in Matthew and Oliver’s first encounter, where Matthew goes to great lengths to make Oliver notice him without appearing too obvious. In the way Russell crafts the tension through awkward exchanges, there are shades of the Safdie brothers’ work in Good Time or Uncut Gems, with how he ups the tension with awkward character exchanges, allowing him to use such exchanges to portray the madness of celebrity culture and the lengths people go to embed themselves in it.
Russell’s direction succeeds not just in crafting an intriguing satire but also in making the world Matthew wants to be in feel worth losing your mind over. He shoots the movie as if it’s a music video, constantly using grainy, camcorder-style footage that makes the film like a fever dream shared between close friends, which is exactly what Matthew wants his life to be. Russell can get the most out of the films’ predominantly L.A. setting by emphasizing the dreamlike nature of being in Hollywood while contrasting it with the dreary, grey cinematography of Matthew’s existence outside of Oliver.
Rather boldly, in Matthew, Russell has crafted a character with no redeeming features, making him feel unrelatable. The closest we get to perhaps rooting for him is when he talks affectionately with his grandmother, but even that is upended by his childish outbursts that arise when she annoys him. Instead, he is very much an antagonist within this tale, nothing more than a parasite using others as a quick ticket to fame. It’s characterization that works thanks to Pellerin’s creepy, dead-eyed performance in which his character is incredibly awkward, cut off from any form of social contact besides his relationship with Oliver. Pellerin disappears into the role, and while violence is rarely a component in the film, he feels exactly like he could kill anyone to get what he wanted, a serial killer waiting to emerge.
Madekwe is also compelling as Oliver, crafting a subtle performance in which feelings of self-doubt and anger slowly strip back his disarming self-confidence. His backstory is told sparingly, but what we learn is enough to understand that Oliver is more insecure than he lets on, and thus the perfect subject for Matthew to ultimately exploit. Madekwe also shines on the singing side of the performance, with the film’s main song, Love and Obsession. A stylish, moody pop song, it makes for a haunting penultimate scene when the music video is being shot, and the power dynamic has finally been established.
Lurker won’t win any prizes for originality, but it is a case of a film executing its premise with precision and style. Russell’s direction is at times exquisite in painting a dreamland for Matthew to exploit, forming a terrific satire of fame that understands how celebrity culture has evolved with the Internet and social media. What is the difference between love and obsession? For Russell, the social media age has blurred the lines between them when it comes to idolizing celebrities.
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‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source nextmag.ca ’
