The lure of fame stalks Lurker, an independent film about celebrity that lacks major stars—for now, at least. Writer-director Alex Russell follows celebrity worship when a clothing store customer provides a dream come true for a lowly salesclerk. Hearing one of his musical inspirations played by clerk Matthew, hit musician Oliver sees spontaneous bonding which he turns into an invitation to visit and become part of the pack. Operating out of the All About Eve playbook, Matthew proves more scheming and needy than imagined by the singer, who in turn follows a diva guide to fickle and demanding behavior. A bit of manipulative and threatening Talented Mr. Ripley and Saltburn action gets into the mix, leading to psychologically sound observations about human nature and the allure of fame. Working with a low budget, director Russell finds appropriate southern California locations and casts talented but not immediately recognizable performers like Théodore Pellerin and Archie Madekwe.
Though attractive enough, Pellerin acts like a nerd, hitting the right notes when presenting himself as an unassuming innocent. Meanwhile Madekwe, a tall, handsome member of the Saltburn movie brigade, exudes the eye-catching qualities of a star big enough to use only one name. The package works and--not surprisingly given his success as a producer, writer, and director for the award-winning series The Bear--Russell puts together a tight script whose conflicts feel tense and believable.
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