WEBVTT

1
00:00:30.079 --> 00:00:33.159
<v Speaker 1>Welcome back to real reviews. Today we're taking a look

2
00:00:33.159 --> 00:00:37.439
<v Speaker 1>at Lurker, now in theaters. It's the feature directorial debut

3
00:00:37.479 --> 00:00:41.520
<v Speaker 1>of Alex Russell, who delivers a tense, stylish, and unsettling

4
00:00:41.600 --> 00:00:46.280
<v Speaker 1>psychological drama about fame, obsession, and the dangerous allure of

5
00:00:46.399 --> 00:00:52.240
<v Speaker 1>proximity to celebrity. Fame is a currency, and in Lurker,

6
00:00:52.399 --> 00:00:56.399
<v Speaker 1>it's one that's covet, it bartered, and ultimately devours those

7
00:00:56.439 --> 00:00:59.719
<v Speaker 1>who chase it too closely. At the center of the

8
00:00:59.719 --> 00:01:03.960
<v Speaker 1>store ory is Matthew, played by Theodor Pellerin, a lonely

9
00:01:04.079 --> 00:01:07.640
<v Speaker 1>retail worker whose fascination with the glittering whorl of stardom

10
00:01:07.760 --> 00:01:11.760
<v Speaker 1>takes a chilling turn after a chance encounter with rising

11
00:01:11.799 --> 00:01:16.400
<v Speaker 1>pop star Oliver portrayed by Archie medek Way. Matthew gradually

12
00:01:16.439 --> 00:01:20.120
<v Speaker 1>inserts himself into Oliver's life, first as a fan, then

13
00:01:20.159 --> 00:01:25.079
<v Speaker 1>as a friend, and finally something more insidious. Russell's direction

14
00:01:25.239 --> 00:01:28.640
<v Speaker 1>is deliberate and patient, letting the tension simmer before it

15
00:01:28.719 --> 00:01:33.159
<v Speaker 1>boils over. The film doesn't resort to cheap thrills or melodrama,

16
00:01:33.280 --> 00:01:37.200
<v Speaker 1>but instead paints a slow, disturbing portrait of obsession in

17
00:01:37.280 --> 00:01:42.280
<v Speaker 1>the age of Instagram and curated authenticity. What begins as

18
00:01:42.400 --> 00:01:48.719
<v Speaker 1>admiration spirals into manipulation, jealousy, and a frightening ratire of boundaries.

19
00:01:49.280 --> 00:01:54.439
<v Speaker 1>Peleran is mesmerizing, giving Matthew equal parts vulnerability and menace.

20
00:01:55.079 --> 00:02:00.000
<v Speaker 1>Never a cartoon villain, but disturbingly real. Medek Way continue

21
00:02:00.159 --> 00:02:03.439
<v Speaker 1>use his rise, making Oliver more than a shallow celebrity.

22
00:02:04.000 --> 00:02:06.920
<v Speaker 1>There's depth to his insecurity and kindness, which makes the

23
00:02:06.959 --> 00:02:11.759
<v Speaker 1>growing sense of danger around him even more tragic. Supporting

24
00:02:11.800 --> 00:02:16.159
<v Speaker 1>turns from Zach Fox, Havana, Rose Lou and Daniel del

25
00:02:16.319 --> 00:02:21.000
<v Speaker 1>Gidrey flesh out Oliver's chaotic, influencer filled world where no

26
00:02:21.039 --> 00:02:25.840
<v Speaker 1>one really knows whom they can trust. Visually, the film

27
00:02:25.919 --> 00:02:31.560
<v Speaker 1>has a hypnotic pull. The cinematography captures la nightlife, sterile losts,

28
00:02:31.599 --> 00:02:36.159
<v Speaker 1>and backstage chaos in ways that feel both glamorous and alienating.

29
00:02:37.159 --> 00:02:40.159
<v Speaker 1>Russell and his team root the film in mood rather

30
00:02:40.199 --> 00:02:46.360
<v Speaker 1>than technology, ensuring it feels authentic without being gimmicky. At

31
00:02:46.400 --> 00:02:49.560
<v Speaker 1>its core, Lurker is more than just the thriller. It's

32
00:02:49.599 --> 00:02:53.759
<v Speaker 1>a pointed critique of our culture's obsession with access, how

33
00:02:53.879 --> 00:02:58.280
<v Speaker 1>simply being close to fame is often mistaken for having meaning.

34
00:02:59.240 --> 00:03:02.240
<v Speaker 1>By the time it's the story reaches an unsettling conclusion.

35
00:03:02.719 --> 00:03:07.479
<v Speaker 1>That message resonates with haunting clarity. While the film plays

36
00:03:07.479 --> 00:03:11.759
<v Speaker 1>with familiar beats of celebrity envy and fatal obsession, Russell's

37
00:03:11.759 --> 00:03:16.759
<v Speaker 1>fresh perspective makes it feel urgent and disturbingly plausible. In

38
00:03:16.840 --> 00:03:20.960
<v Speaker 1>a seasoned crowded with big blockbusters, Lurker stands out by

39
00:03:21.039 --> 00:03:25.479
<v Speaker 1>whispering when others shout, and the chills cut even deeper.

40
00:03:26.560 --> 00:03:30.199
<v Speaker 1>I gave this film a B plus. That's it for

41
00:03:30.280 --> 00:03:32.879
<v Speaker 1>this real review of Lurker. You can read the full

42
00:03:32.879 --> 00:03:35.759
<v Speaker 1>written review at the filmgrdon dot com and catch more

43
00:03:35.800 --> 00:03:39.960
<v Speaker 1>of our reviews, interviews and commentary there. Don't forget to

44
00:03:40.000 --> 00:03:43.000
<v Speaker 1>follow us at film Gordon across Socials, and if you're

45
00:03:43.120 --> 00:03:47.879
<v Speaker 1>enjoying the podcast, like and subscribe for more Until next time.

46
00:03:48.280 --> 00:03:51.199
<v Speaker 1>Keep it real, but always keep it real.