Berlinale 2025 – Lurker ★★★★★

Released: Later in 2025

Director: Alex Russell

Starring: Théodore Pellerin, Archie Madekwe, Havana Rose Liu, Daniel Zolghadri and Zack Fox

“We want the same thing. I just want it more – and I’m better.” This chilling line, from the ambitious, obsessive Matthew (Théodore Pellerin) to rising pop star Oliver (Saltburn’s Archie Madekwe), is the dark heart of Lurker. Alex Russell’s debut feature, a Sundance standout, is a scarily impressive tale of obsession, desire, and the twisted power dynamics of fame and fandom in the social media age.

Oliver stops by the clothing store where Matthew works, where they connect over their shared appreciation for Nile Rodgers’ “My Love Song for You”, playing softly in the background. Oliver invites Matthew to a concert in LA, but the latter seems indifferent, unaware of who the young star even is or why he’s famous. However, the fleeting interaction marks the beginning of Matthew’s infiltration into Oliver’s life. He quickly becomes a friend, supporter, and documentarian of his favourite pop star. However, the power balance is fragile – and it doesn’t take long for their relationship to unravel.

Matthew’s seemingly innocent devotion is counterbalanced by Oliver’s unstable confidence; they complement each other, while vying for dominance. It’s an unsettling, parasocial relationship, played with extraordinary intensity by Madekwe and Pellerin, who convey volumes through glances, body language, and micro-expressions. Oliver’s bandmates Noah and Swett (Daniel Zolghadri and Zack Fox) are initially welcoming to Matthew, but quickly grow irritated by his constant, forced presence in their lives. Oliver’s manager, Shai (Havana Rose Liu), is more aware of Matthew’s mind games and tries to intervene. Together, this supporting cast amplifies the sense of disbelief and mounting unease as the film unfolds.

Russell’s screenplay toys with the tropes of the psychological thriller. Like Highsmith’s Tom Ripley in Minghella’s The Talented Mr. Ripley, the relentless, malicious Matthew becomes deeply enamored of his new friend, willing to sacrifice everything to remain in his inner circle. But Lurker twists the genre’s conventions in new, unexpected ways too. Unlike Fennell’s Saltburn, where murder plays a central role, Lurker sidesteps such extremes in favour of something more insidious: the creeping suffocation of hidden queer desire and fervid admiration.

The film revels in ambiguity, refusing to paint Matthew as just a stalker and Oliver as a passive victim – nor are they simply friends who fall out. They share a bond, shaped by the loneliness and emptiness that define both their lives. Oliver recognises that the ‘lurker’ – intrusive Matthew – is one of the few people who truly understands him, but he can’t bring himself to cut him off forever.

With Russell’s electrifying direction, stellar performances from Pellerin and Madekwe, a killer soundtrack –with the repeated use of James and Bobby Purify’s “I’m Your Puppet” – and Pat Scola’s striking cinematography, Lurker stands as a nightmarish yet intoxicating story of power struggles, subtle homoerotic longing, and obsession. Cynical, gripping, and darkly funny, it’s one of a kind in its genre.