REVIEW: ‘Lurker’ Probes The Intoxication Of Fame

How far would you go to be in the orbit of fame? Many films have posed this question, and Sundance 2025 sleeper hit Lurker is no different. Few films, however, go into the murky depths of the relationship between celebrities and their hangers-on as the accomplished feature writer’s directorial debut from Alex Russell does.

This is a film that sends shivers down the spine. Lurker achieves a soaring brilliance from its dueling lead performances, visceral formal attributes, and the immediacy of its insights on fame.

Matthew (Théodore Pellerin) is a super-fan of the up-and-coming musician Oliver (Archie Madekwe), looking with envy at his ascendant stardom as he toils away at a soul-crushing retail job when Oliver and his entourage come into Matthew’s place of work one day, an interaction between the two leads to Matthew being invited to Oliver’s show.

Seizing the opportunity, Matthew strives to make himself an essential part of his crew. Once the high of being a part of the wild life Oliver lives begins to wear off, Matthew sets his sights towards self-preservation, going to unthinkable lengths to ensure his spot in Oliver’s burgeoning career.

Théodore Pellerin gives the exact sort of performance any filmmaker would be lucky to structure their film around. At first, his Matthew is unassuming in his quiet demeanor. Once he gets to be a part of something bigger than himself, his wide-eyed amazement is achingly relatable.

This film sends chill up your spine on the weight of personality alone. 

When he begins to go into panic mode, something darker emerges. Something selfish, something insecure, and, more than anything, something deeply disturbing. A critical scene at the mid-point reveals exactly who he is; an accident that Matthew causes elicits not remorse, but uproarious, uncontrolled laughter. It’s a full mask-off moment that lays bare the wicked intentions at the heart of those who hide in plain sight among the populace.

Without diminishing the role Théodore Pellerin plays in Lurker’s effect, audiences have seen the stalker character before. They’ve even seen the tortured artist role that Oliver inhabits. Archie Mandekwe (Gran Turismo, Saltburn), in concert with Alex Russell’s incisive screenplay, gives new life to the archetype.

Oliver is a genuine talent, whose allure is apparent through his effortless cool, yet there’s something similarly insecure about him that reflects a different flavor than Matthew’s own issues. He’s surrounded by sycophants, such as crew members played by Daniel Zolghardi (Y2K), Havana Rose Liu (Bottoms), and comedian Zack Fox, to the point where he carries a deep loneliness within him. The most sickening aspect of Lurker is the implication that the twisted obsession he gets from Matthew is the closest thing to a genuine love he has in his life.

Alex Russell wisely centers the meat of the film on the wicked interplay between Matthew and Oliver. Their relationship would be easy to interpret as someone leeching off of someone in a higher station than them. This film isn’t interested in the easy answers.

Alex Russell’s Lurker is one of the strongest directorial debuts we’ve seen.

As the film unspools, it emerges that Oliver might be getting certain benefits from Matthew’s initially one-sided obsession. Even as their relationship becomes increasingly adversarial, a sticky symbiosis forms between the two that neither can break away from. Key scenes in a recording booth and a music video shoot involving paintballs lay the true nature of their dynamic bare, and it’s electrifyingly morbid.

Aesthetically, Lurker has a full lock on what it’s trying to accomplish. Cinematographer Pat Scola will, in one moment, frame the free-wheeling environment that Oliver and his cronies inhabit as a sort of paradise that inspires the same wide-eyed admiration that Matthew has for it. 

In the next moment, it’s framed as isolating, as if Matthew has a bubble that’s continually separating him from the environment. Especially of note is the utilization of camcorder footage, which at first captures key moments of the joy of Oliver and Matthew’s unusual collaboration, before turning into a searing reminder of what Matthew is losing as his ambition exceeds his grasp.

Alex Russell’s navigation of tone is especially impressive, deftly maneuvering the audience into more uncomfortable territory without a jarring change in mood. The original music by Kenny Beats, featuring vocals from Archie Madekwe, plays a strong part in the formal grace of Lurker, reflecting the evolving nature of Oliver and Matthew’s journey without missing a beat.

This film is driven by outstanding performances from Théodore Pellerin and Archie Madekwe.

What stands out about Lurker more than the rest is the potential it has to inspire conversation. At the heart of Alex Russell’s film is the centering of fame. Fame is an all-powerful drug that can intoxicate, elevate, but also harm.

Can we really blame Matthew for trying to latch onto Oliver’s rise? Inversely, can we blame Oliver for keeping someone with an unhealthy fixation with him around when that’s the closest thing to a connection he can get, having crossed the threshold already? Is fame a disease, or is it something that we have to accept is a part of our society now? These are questions with no easy answers, and that’s what makes Lurker so accomplished.

Feature directorial debuts are a way for artists to give a taste of what they’re all about. With Lurker, Alex Russell gives the audience a full meal to savor and digest for years to come. Anchored by white-hot chemistry between its leads, stunning formal brilliance, and the capacity for vigorous discussion, this film will be a tough act to follow for Alex Russell. For now, he’ll just have to settle for having one of the best films of 2025.

Lurker is in theaters August 22, 2025.