Alex Russell's film Lurker presents a confident and self-aware debut at Sundance, distancing itself from the chaotic styles of other first-time narratives. The film follows Matthew, a retail worker who infiltrates the life of music star Oliver by masquerading as a casual acquaintance. Its grounded narrative refrains from excessive genre tropes, leaning instead on realistic dialogue and subtle menace rather than overt violence. By focusing on the intricate dynamics between men and societal pressures in fame, the film effectively critiques obsession and personal ambition without losing its tension or intrigue.
Russell takes this formula and extracts most, if not all, of the heightened genre elements to give us something a little more grounded.
The lurker is Matthew, a twentysomething retail worker who insinuates himself into the inner circle of rising music star Oliver by pretending not to be a fawning superfan.
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