“Lurker” Simmers With Tension As Idol Worship Turned Sour
LOS ANGELES, CA – The new film Lurker dissects the fraught dynamics of ambition and adoration, presenting a chilling portrait of an influencer’s inner circle were loyalty is conditional and the line between collaboration and exploitation blurs. The film, currently generating buzz for it’s unsettling atmosphere and refusal to offer easy answers, explores the dark side of parasocial relationships and the lengths people will go to maintain proximity to power.
Lurker centers on a group orbiting the enigmatic Oliver, a figure whose influence is both coveted and feared. the film’s creators intentionally avoid a simplistic “good versus evil” narrative, rather opting for a subjective lens that forces viewers to confront uncomfortable parallels within their own social interactions.
According to actor Russell, the film’s core tension stems from the fear of being relegated to the status of a “fan” within Oliver’s circle. “The most vicious thing that can be said to [Matthew] is, ‘You’re a fan,’ because it separates him from what he believes himself to be as a part of this group,” Russell explained. “It’s saying, ‘You are Other. You are not the thing that you’ve been working so hard to pretend to be.'” Fellow actor Madekwe elaborated, stating that being labeled a fan ”rips that umbilical cord and detaches that emotional connection that you have to the person…and that was death in this film.”
The film utilizes James & Bobby Purify’s “I’m Your Puppet” as a recurring motif, its lyrics mirroring the shifting power dynamics and questioning who truly holds the strings. Director Russell intentionally crafted a narrative that challenges audience expectations, prompting introspection about the potential for manipulation within social circles. “I wanted this to be subjective in a way where people could actually relate to what [Matthew] was doing and we were in his shoes, like, ‘Damn. Have I maybe done something, or wanted to do something like this? Or have I been made uncomfortable in a social calculation that made me want to manipulate someone?'” Russell admitted, before quickly adding, “Uh, anyway. It’s just fiction.”
