Lurker

Play trailer

2:18

Lurker

R

2025

1h 40m

Drama

Mystery & Thriller

Play Trailer

Watchlist

Watchlist

Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

94%

Tomatometer

119 Reviews

85%

Popcornmeter

50+ Verified Ratings

A screw-turning psychological thriller made for the moment, LURKER is the razor-sharp directorial debut from The Bear and Beef writer-producer Alex Russell. When twenty-something Los Angeles retail clerk and loner Matthew (Théodore Pellerin) encounters rising pop star Oliver (Saltburn’s Archie Madekwe), he takes the opportunity to edge his way into the in-crowd. But staying there isn't easy. With an entire entourage (Bottoms' Havana Rose Liu, Abbott Elementary's Zack Fox, Y2K's Daniel Zolghadri, mid90s' Sunny Suljic) vying for attention, Matthew must prove himself to Oliver as more than just a follower. As their bond grows strained and mainstream fame appears within reach, access and proximity become a matter of life and death. Online fixation meets reality in this parasocial, paranoid cat-and-mouse film driven by star-making performances. With an incisive view to contemporary culture and a brilliant score from Kenny Beats (known for his work with Vince Staples), LURKER presents an exhilarating take on the music industry, the blurred line between friend and fan, and our universal search for validation.

Watch on Fandango at Home

Stream Now

Critics Consensus

Devilishly examining the intersection of fame and obsession to thrilling effect, Alex Russell's directorial debut delivers on all fronts.

Read Critics Reviews

Wendy Ide

Guardian

Dec 12

The film is so acerbic that watching it at times feels like being attached to a drip-feed of pure venom. And while it may not sound like it, that’s high praise indeed.

Go to Full Review

Mark Kermode

Kermode and Mayo's Take (YouTube)

Dec 12

It's all very believably done.

Go to Full Review

Linda Marric

HeyUGuys

Dec 11

4/5

This is a confident, quietly unnerving debut, bolstered by restrained performances and a purposeful lo-fi aesthetic.

Go to Full Review

John Paul King

Washington Blade

May 26

There are occasionally twists that feel a bit too convenient to be believable, but all in all, it’s a solid piece of cinematic workmanship.

Go to Full Review

John Serba

Decider

May 18

Lurker is a tense, fascinating character study.

Go to Full Review

Matt Brunson

Film Frenzy

Apr 19

3.5/4

A cringe psychodrama, as it were.

Go to Full Review

Read all reviews

Ben W

Oct 27

Very good. Love the commentary on groupies and transactional relationships.

See more

John L

Sep 17

Although compared to Saltbourne, it doesn't come close. Disjointed story line and character development.

See more

Marvin

Sep 12

An uncomfortable but also a clever and thrilling experience

See more

Juandi

Sep 12

This film is an interesting ride. It does a good job at making you feel you’re experiencing the events in real time. I do feel there were several unanswered questions & missed opportunities. Overall, the story lacked & didn’t fully land for me.

See more

Film Buff

Sep 11

Tense, clever, and well-paced. A fantastic thriller!

See more

Just Here for the Popcorn

Sep 10

It was ok. Popcorn review: Dry. But the Coke Zero had some bang to it.

See more

Read all reviews

Read More

Read Less

WRITE A REVIEW

EDIT REVIEW

POST RATING

Alex Russell

Director

Théodore Pellerin

Matthew

Archie Madekwe

Oliver

Sunny Suljic

Jamie

Cam Hicks

Sebastian

Chaize Macklin

The Fan

The Origin of Evil

93%

84%

The Origin of Evil

Watchlist

TRAILER

for The Origin of Evil

Black Bag

96%

70%

Black Bag

Watchlist

TRAILER

for Black Bag

Last Night in Soho

75%

89%

Last Night in Soho

Watchlist

TRAILER

for Last Night in Soho

Boiling Point

99%

86%

Boiling Point

Watchlist

TRAILER

for Boiling Point

The Surfer

84%

46%

The Surfer

Watchlist

TRAILER

for The Surfer

Discover more movies and TV shows.

View More

Lurker: Trailer 1

2:18

View more videos

View more photos

Synopsis

A screw-turning psychological thriller made for the moment, LURKER is the razor-sharp directorial debut from The Bear and Beef writer-producer Alex Russell. When twenty-something Los Angeles retail clerk and loner Matthew (Théodore Pellerin) encounters rising pop star Oliver (Saltburn’s Archie Madekwe), he takes the opportunity to edge his way into the in-crowd. But staying there isn't easy. With an entire entourage (Bottoms' Havana Rose Liu, Abbott Elementary's Zack Fox, Y2K's Daniel Zolghadri, mid90s' Sunny Suljic) vying for attention, Matthew must prove himself to Oliver as more than just a follower. As their bond grows strained and mainstream fame appears within reach, access and proximity become a matter of life and death. Online fixation meets reality in this parasocial, paranoid cat-and-mouse film driven by star-making performances. With an incisive view to contemporary culture and a brilliant score from Kenny Beats (known for his work with Vince Staples), LURKER presents an exhilarating take on the music industry, the blurred line between friend and fan, and our universal search for validation.

Director: Alex Russell
Producer: Alex Orlovsky, Duncan Montgomery, Galen Core, Charlie McDowell, Archie Madekwe, Olmo Schnabel, Marc Marrie, Francesco Melzi d'Eril, Jack Selby
Screenwriter: Alex Russell
Distributor: MUBI
Production Co: Va Bene Productions, MeMo Films, Case Study Films, High Frequency Entertainment, Arts and Sciences Department
Rating: R (Some Sexual Content|Language Throughout)
Genre: Drama, Mystery & Thriller
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Aug 22, 2025, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Oct 10, 2025
Box Office (Gross USA): $631.6K
Runtime: 1h 40m