Lurker (Fantasia) Review: The Toast of Sundance Hits Theaters

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Lurker was beforehand reviewed by us on the Sundance Movie Competition. Having now performed Fantasia, Mubi will launch it theatrically this month.

PLOT: A retail worker (Théodore Pellerin) worms his means into the internal circle of a rising pop star, Oliver (Archie Madekwe) and can do no matter he must to be able to keep there.

REVIEW: Lurker is strictly the sort of film I need to see once I hit Sundance. I went in realizing subsequent to nothing about it apart from the truth that some people concerned with The Bear had a hand in it. Days earlier than its premiere, it screened for most of the Sundance volunteers, which is often one thing they do once they know they've an actual winner on their arms.

Certain sufficient, Lurker is a terrific mix of black comedy and psychological thriller, with it taking part in out as nearly an evil, demented model of Nearly Well-known. Like that Cameron Crowe basic, this follows the entree of a younger man into the internal circle of pop stars, though Théodore Pellerin’s Matthew is way from a wide-eyed harmless. The film begins with Oliver coming into into the stylish boutique Matthew works at, permitting the latter to completely insinuate himself through the use of reverse psychology. You nearly root for Matthew, with him sharp-witted, humorous and initially gregarious. On the identical time, Archie Madekwe’s Oliver is charismatic because the pop star on the verge of a breakthrough. He surrounds himself with sycophants however says he desires somebody “actual” within the internal circle.

As soon as Oliver’s fickle affections begin to wander, it doesn’t take a genius to determine what is going to occur to Matthew’s psychological state. Nonetheless, Lurker constantly pivots anytime it threatens to be standard or predictable. Author-director Alex Russell, who additionally labored as a author and director on The Bear and Beef, has made a phenomenally entertaining first characteristic, with this one of the crucial memorable Sundance debuts since Whiplash. Expertly assembled, it appears more likely to spark a bidding battle, with it the sort of film that would readily crossover to a mainstream viewers if dealt with appropriately.

Théodore Pellerin is harking back to a younger Anthony Perkins in how he’s in a position to juggle a sweet-natured, boy-next-door sort of vibe with a barely suppressed sociopathic aspect, making him one of the crucial memorable display psychos in latest reminiscence. Archie Madekwe additionally will get one other spectacular position after his turns in Gran Turismo and Saltburn, because the hyper-macho Oliver, whose performative aspect hides a vulnerability he feels the necessity to suppress. They’re nicely supported by Havana Rose Liu as Oliver’s assistant and stand-up comedian Zack Fox as the top of his entourage.

Russell’s sense of tempo is pitch-perfect, with the 100-minute working time fairly disciplined, and the movie has the identical sort of propulsive vitality one of the best episodes of The Bear have. One factor that may get individuals speaking is how the movie depicts the shifting energy dynamic between Oliver and Matthew, with it reminding me at instances of this nice Joseph Losey film from the sixties, The Servant, which was a few parasitic butler who slowly took over his employer’s life. Lurker performs with the identical method however provides it a recent flavour. It’s the sort of film I come to Sundance hoping to search out, and a movie I feel goes to attach with numerous our readers as soon as it comes out.