Already gaining quite a bit of festival buzz, Lurker is a new dramatic thriller that had a sold out screening at Fantasia International Film Festival. Written and directed by Alex Russell (The Bear, Beef), Lurker tells the story of Matthew. A chance encounter allows Matthew to connect with a musician on the verge of stardom. As he infiltrates the inner circle, the friend group’s power dynamics shift with dangerous consequences.

When Lurker begins, Matthew’s actions seem innocent enough. Oliver, an up and coming musician, comes into the retail shop Matthew works at. Most people would try to look cool in front of a celebrity they admired, even if it means telling a few white lies. Matthew’s lies pay off, getting him a VIP invite to Oliver’s next show, and eventually, an invite to Oliver’s house. It seems like a dream come true. He’s even invited to help obtain some footage for a documentary about Oliver. Yet the deeper Matthew manipulates his way into Oliver’s entourage, the more hungry he becomes for Oliver’s attention, and the notoriety that comes with it.

What makes this film such a compelling watch is how the tension begins as simple social anxiety. Matthew is the outsider in this established friend group, trying to do and say whatever he can to find a permanent place among them. However, celebrities can be fickle, and Oliver’s attention never lasts long. When Matthew is the focus of that attention, he feels on top of the world, yet the moment it turns to someone else the inner anxiety and frustration is palpable. Once the power dynamics within the group begin to shift, that’s when the real suspense picks up. It takes the plot down unexpected paths, keeping the audience guessing at just how far Matthew will go to get what he wants, leading to a combination of cringeworthy awkwardness and downright sociopathic antics.

Every performance in Lurker feels raw and authentic, giving the audience a voyeuristic view into Matthew’s life. Théodore Pellerin (Boy Erased, Beau is Afraid) stars as Matthew. Pellerin at first portrays Matthew in a quiet, empathetic way to make the audience feel for him. As Matthew becomes more manipulative and gains more power, there’s an increasingly major change in his personality. The person Pellerin plays at the start of the film is very different to the one he plays as the film ends, showing just how dangerous power can be. Archie Madekwe (Midsommar, Saltburn) plays Oliver. Depending on the moment, Oliver can be charismatic or egotistical. Madekwe plays both sides of that coin brilliantly, really showing how it would feel to be in Oliver’s good graces and how much it would hurt to be cast aside. Lurker also features great performances from Havana Rose Liu (Bottoms), Sunny Suljic (Mid90s), and Daniel Zolghadri (Eighth Grade).

In keeping with the raw intimacy of Lurker, the film has a fairly understated look. The color is rather muted, and there is a slight grainy texture that make it appear as if the audience is watching something they weren’t meant to see. Intercut with these shots is more low-resolution handheld camera footage taken by Matthew, breaking up the tense scenes with fun antics the group gets up to, and also adding a bit of visual interest. The film features a beautiful score composed by Kenny Beats (The Cave), as well as fantastic original songs created by Beats and sung by Madekwe as Oliver.

Lurker is a tense, anxiety-filled tale shining a spotlight on the disturbing lengths some people will go to just to be close to their favorite celebrity. While Russell has made a name for himself making great television, this is his first foray into feature film, and it is a masterclass of creating quiet suspense while still packing a real punch. Both Pellerin and Madekwe give riveting performances, adding to the strange sense of intimacy throughout the film. Along with wonderful original music, audiences will feel as if they’re watching a real fan connect with a real artist. If you missed Lurker at Fantasia, be sure to catch it in theaters on August 22nd.

OVERALL RATING: 8.5/10