“Lurker,” a new psychological thriller, premiered at the 2025 Sundance Festival last week.
Théodore Pellerin plays Matthew, who is determined to achieve fame at any cost. While working his retail job in Los Angeles, he meets rising pop singer Oliver, played by Archie Madekew.
Matthew plays it cool to get close to Oliver and his friend group. His plan works, and he begins filming a documentary for Oliver. However, things quickly take a turn for the worse. Soon, Matthew reveals his true colors and shows extreme persistence in being with Oliver.
Director Alex Russell, known for his work on “The Bear” and “BEEF,” outdid himself with this movie. This was his first feature-length film and hopefully it won’t be his last. Russell visualized the idea of parasocial obsession and craving status on screen. By showcasing the uneasy feelings and extreme actions that result from these, Russell enthralled the audience. Viewers are kept engaged and on the edge of their seats.
In addition to Russell’s impressive directorial skills, the film offers top-tier performances by its stars. From Matthew’s perspective, Pellerin made audiences feel just the right amount of discomfort, amplifying the film’s realistic feeling. This performance was made possible by Oliver, played by Madekwe, whose portrayal was captivating.
Comfortably Uncomfortable
“Lurker” lives outside of the human comfort zone. The cast was enveloped by new experiences that forced them to become comfortable with being uncomfortable. Madekwe, who initially thought this film would involve no live musicality, spoke about feeling uneasy performing in front of live audiences.
“This is a new feeling, this fear and adrenaline that I’m feeling; I have never felt this before,” he said.
Although uncomfortable, Madekwe gallantly stepped into the role of a rising star. In the end, the uncharted territory became the part of the film that he was most enthusiastic about.
“That’s what life is about, looking for those moments where you feel something like that, so I was very grateful for the experience,” he said.
Also reflecting on the discomfort during filming, Pellerin said, “I was uncomfortable the whole time. I was very uncomfortable, but I think it was great for the film because it is so much about humiliations, shame and power dynamics that are very difficult.” The discomfort, he explained, made his performance feel more authentic. By embracing his feelings of unease, he could connect with his character fully.
There is a scene in the movie that involves working with live animals, and Daniel Zolghadri spoke about how the unfamiliarity of this scene caused him some anxiety.
“I got to work with an animal on this movie; it was a sheep, and I was kind of grabbing onto the sheep, and that was kind of uncomfortable because I didn’t want to cross any animal cruelty boundaries,” he said. “I hadn’t done that before, so it was new for me.”
The unsettling elements in “Lurker” contributed to impressive performances and made for a thrilling film.
A Different Kind of Thriller
While “Lurker” is a Hollywood thriller, it is uniquely layered with comedic undertones. Many moments in the film had the audience exploding with laughter.
“It’s really funny. Actually, Alex, the director, mentioned Mean Girls as one of the inspirations,” Zolghadri said. This influence is seen in the film’s humorous dialogue and its exploration of social status, showing the extreme lengths people go to for a recognizable standing in society.
Despite the moments of undisputed humor, there are other ways that “Lurker” feels different than other obsessional thrillers seen in Hollywood today. The word “fan” takes on a different meaning in this film.
Every time Matthew is referred to as a fan, it carries a darkly negative connotation. He feels a sense of inferiority attached to that word because it creates a sense of distance between him and Oliver when he only wants to feel like a friend at his side.
“Being a fan sort of rips that umbilical cord and detaches that emotional connection that you have to that person and puts you at a distance,” Madekwe said. “It creates an otherness, which was like death in this film.”
Behind the Score
As a backdrop to the interpersonal relationships being explored on screen, the score reflects the switch between love and obsession as it happens. Alex O’Connor (Rex Orange County) spoke about how his song, unexpectedly, puzzled in perfectly with the dichotomy of Oliver and Matthew’s relationship.
“It was all very serendipitous because the song in the movie is one that I had written already, ” he said. “It was actually a song written about a romantic relationship, but it’s kind of been taken into a form of this story, and it works really weirdly well.”
The score, performances and script of “Lurker” offer a new take on fandom in today’s online world. Blending humor with nerve-wracking elements, the film took viewers through various emotions. It’s safe to say that “Lurker” is a must-watch from the 2025 Sundance Film Festival.
