"Lurker" is a tense and unnerving thriller

There’s something quietly terrifying about how a certain tension gets under your skin. It doesn’t announce itself with shock tactics or grand twists. Instead, it tightens its grip slowly and patiently, like a screw being turned one notch at a time until discomfort transforms into dread. In his assured directorial debut, Alex Russell taps directly into a modern anxiety we all recognize: the hunger to be seen and the danger of mistaking access for intimacy.

Matthew, played with remarkable control by Theodore Pellerin, is a retail clerk drifting through Los Angeles, invisible in a city that thrives on visibility. His chance encounter with Oliver (Archie Madekwe), a rapidly ascending pop star portrayed with slippery charm, feels less like fate and more like opportunity—and Matthew seizes it with unnerving precision. What begins as fandom masquerading as friendship gradually reveals itself to be something far more corrosive.

Russell understands that today’s power dynamics aren’t built solely on money or talent, but on proximity. Who gets backstage? Who’s in the room? Who receives the text back? As Oliver’s circle fills with fellow aspirants, collaborators, and hangers-on, Matthew’s desperation intensifies. Every interaction becomes a test, and every slight a potential exile. The film smartly refuses to portray Oliver as a cartoon villain; instead, he’s a product of an industry that commodifies closeness while keeping genuine connection just out of reach.

The supporting cast—Havana Rose Liu, Zack Fox, Daniel Zolghadri, and Sunny Suljic—adds depth to this ecosystem of ambition, with each character reflecting a different survival strategy within the fame hierarchy. However, the film truly belongs to the lead actor, whose performance walks a fine line between vulnerability and menace. You feel for Matthew even as he unsettles you, which is precisely the point.

A pulsing, anxiety-driven score amplifies the film’s unease, blurring the line between internal obsession and external threat. The music industry backdrop isn’t just the setting; it’s the engine driving the film’s paranoia.

This film doesn’t offer comfort or moral clarity. Instead, it poses an uncomfortable question: in a culture built on validation and visibility, how far are we willing to go to matter? It’s sharp, unsettling, and deeply relevant to the moment, signaling a filmmaker worth watching.

Final Grade: B

“Lurker” is available to stream on Shudder.