A One Mann’s Movies review of “Lurker”. (2025, 4*, 15).
One I missed when it came out in UK cinemas in December last year, I just got to catch up with “Lurker” on my recent British Airways holiday flight to Jamaica. And what a terrific little film it is! It marks the directorial debut for Alex Russell, who is behind two of the most successful TV shows of recent years – “Beef” and “The Bear” (he clearly goes in for snappy, short titles!).
One Mann’s Movies Rating:
Plot:
The life of intense, wannabe documentary maker Matthew (Théodore Pellerin) changes when pop idol Oliver (Archie Madekwe) wanders into the LA clothes shop in which he works. The pair bond over a shared love of music, although Matthew claims to be unaware of Oliver’s fame. The meeting leads Matthew into a wild relationship with Oliver and his entourage.
Certification:
UK: 15; US: R. (From the BBFC website: “Strong language, sex, violence, sexual threat.”)
Talent:
Starring: Théodore Pellerin, Archie Madekwe, Sunny Suljic, Cam Hicks, Zack Fox, Daniel Zolghadri, Havana Rose Liu, Cam Hicks, Zack Fox.
Directed by: Alex Russell.
Written by: Alex Russell.
Running Time: 1h 40m.
Review:
Positives:
- I know it’s easy to bandy around the description of “Hitchcockian” for a film, but this one has elements that the great master of suspense and awkwardness would have had fun with. The tale starts off quite simply, as a sort of fan-fiction, with Matthew inducted into a cruel and belittling entourage. But then the story spirals into a fascinating power-play between two men encompassing rejection, rage, spying, under-age sex and blackmail.
- The film is aimed at an intelligent audience who don’t need to be spoon-fed the plot: it goes to places and leaves you to deduce what is happening and why. I really loved that.
- As a film, this is almost a cross between the recent “Power Ballad” and “Pillion“. Like in “Power Ballad“, it is always fascinating to see a story of a apparently naïve ‘nobody’ brought into the orbit of a worldwide pop sensation – “Juliet. Naked”; “Yesterday“; “The Bodyguard”: they’ve all leaned on that same vibe. But here we have the interesting sort of powerplay dynamic that we had between Colin (Harry Melling) and Ray (Alexander Skarsgård) in “Pillion“, but without all of the gay sex. The power balance is one way, but then switches to very much another way.
- The sex-angle is a really interesting one here. There is a moment where I wondered “Is Matthew gay?”: was this where the film was heading? But it is left deliciously vague. There are undoubtedly some very hot moments where you could cut the sexual tension between the two men with a knife. But Matthew is at least bi: we have a scene where Matthew and a girl crash into the bedroom where Oliver is in flagrante delicto with a girl (who says she doesn’t mind!) and the four proceed to have sex side-by-side. But is Matthew getting off to his girl riding him or getting off to seeing Oliver fucking the other girl?
- The leading actors all do a terrific job. Théodore Pellerin, who I only remember as Beau’s son in “Beau is Afraid” brilliantly conveys the ‘fish out of water’ Matthew, switching to something else entirely as he gains confidence and leverage over the pop star. Archie Madekwe, one of the BAFTA Rising Star nominees from last year, is building himself a really strong CV with films like “Midsommar”, “Gran Turismo” and “Saltburn” and here he excels as well, having to switch from cocky arrogance to terrified subservience over the course of the film. Havana Rose Liu – who seems to be everywhere at the moment – is also great as Shea, Oliver’s PA.
- The script is top-notch, always keeping you guessing and occasionally throwing in a delicious curved-ball.
Negatives:
- I originally struggled with the location of the film. From the opening in the clothes shop, and because Pellerin is French-Canadian and I know Madekwe is British, I originally assumed this was a British-set film. It was only when I thought “hang on, Matthew is riding his bike on the wrong side of the road” that I was re-oriented. Perhaps a bit of ‘place-setting’ ahead of the opening shot might have helped.
Summary Thoughts:
I’m sorry that I missed this at the cinema and I only got to see it in the sub-optimal environment of a plane’s back-of-seat screen. But I really enjoyed this one and if I’d seen it last year, it would definitely have been challenging for a place in my Top 20. Highly recommended.
Where to watch?
Trailer:
The trailer for the film is here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=876d5ZnyzzQ.
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