Lurker

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2:18

Lurker

R

Aug 2025

1h 40m

Drama

Mystery & Thriller

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

94%

Tomatometer

109 Reviews

84%

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.

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Critics Consensus

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

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Wendy Ide

Guardian

2d

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.

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Mark Kermode

Kermode and Mayo's Take (YouTube)

3d

It's all very believably done.

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Linda Marric

HeyUGuys

3d

4/5

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

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James Saynor

The Arts Desk

2d

3/5

Writer-director Alex Russell (a producer on TV’s The Bear) shoots and edits this debut feature a little like an episode of MTV Cribs, jangly and lo-fi, appealing to the college demographic while undermining their lolling values.

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John Stark

Mac the Movie Guy

3d

75/100

Lurker isn’t staggering in its concept, but its adaptation of a familiar tale for modern audiences is unnerving and a fantastic debut for a promising new director in independent film.

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Stephen Porzio

joe.ie

4d

[Writer-director Alex] Russell’s movie eschews easy resolution, something that causes it to linger in viewers’ brains long after its credits roll.

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Ben W

Oct 27

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

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John L

Sep 17

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

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Marvin

Sep 12

An uncomfortable but also a clever and thrilling experience

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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.

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Film Buff

Sep 11

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

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Just Here for the Popcorn

Sep 10

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

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Alex Russell

Director

Théodore Pellerin

Matthew

Archie Madekwe

Oliver

Sunny Suljic

Jamie

Cam Hicks

Sebastian

Chaize Macklin

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Lurker: Trailer 1

2:18

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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

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