Lurker (2025) Review

Alex Russel’s debut film is a dreamy, thrilling emotional drama focusing on the psychological ups and downs of a “normal guy” being brought into the orbit and entourage of a rising LA singer. It’s the sort of subservient “friendship” that likely always feels dangerously temporary, as if one could be replaced at any moment by a new muse, or a new “yes-man”. There’s certainly class commentary here about the sort of slave-and-master dynamics of stardom and wealth, but the true star of the show is the palpable tension that arises as infatuation turns to obsession.

Lurker certainly has some similar themes to Saltburn (which also starred Archie Madekwe), but Lurker touches on similar class and social anxieties with much more nuance and subtlety than Saltburn did, and also features a much more satisfying ending. Lurker feels more organic, more truly lived-in, and Russel’s nuanced, laidback style really adds to the films grounded, more gritty allure.

The main cast was fantastic, with Théodore Pellerin (Matthew) portraying a character trajectory that begins as slightly awkward, but eventually subtly shifts into the concerning before finally just dropping right off into the obsessive and unhinged. Pellerin’s performance creates an emotional whiplash that, from moment to moment, makes the audience either sympathize, hate, want to kill, or want to turn away from Matthew completely out of sheer embarrassment. There are some fantastically creepy emotions that spring from Pellerin’s face- ones which I won’t soon forget.

Archie Madekwe (Oliver) is also fantastic as the rising LA pop star. Oliver had officially “made it”, living in a beautiful Hollywood Hills mansion, surrounded by old friends and new muses. He’s a character that is either blissfully unaware of his intense class-power over his admirers, or he simply doesn’t want to think about the possible consequences of leading them on emotionally to get what he wants. It’s a fine line, and it’s also a position of power that has some real downsides. Oliver essentially lives in a bubble- one where no one will truly be honest with him, where even his closest friends tend to become robotic yes men that will do anything to maintain their place in his orbit. Madekwe is, most surprisingly, a fantastic singer, and easily was one of the most realistic and relatable fictional musicians put to screen.

Lurker’s overall aesthetics and pacing are fantastic, with many dreamy, emotional moments perfectly disintegrating subtlety into anxiety and foreshadowing. Cinematography is understated and organic. Scenes shifts from warm, wide shots, closeups and more traditional filming techniques, to the in-film perspective of a shaky ‘90s handycam, which supplements the stalker vibes of Matthew, while also doubling as a voyaristic character in its own right.

The in-film music is surprisingly good, with Oliver’s performances, music videos, and songs really accenting and underlying the emotions of every shot their in, sometimes even with the lyrics themselves perfectly aligning with the story. In-universe singers and bands are generally not very good, but this low-budget film was really able to deliver the impression that Oliver was truly a real artist and musician.

Overall, a fantastic drama/thriller with a great main and supporting cast. Thanks mostly to Zach Fox, there are some truly hilarious moments sprinkled into an otherwise disconcerting psychological thriller, and the whole film was an inspiring and refreshing experience for anyone who’s a fan of indie and low-budget films.