Friend or foe in the music world.
“Lurker” is miles and miles ahead of “Hurry Up Tomorrow,” which was about The Weeknd dealing with bad choices, including his relationship with his mother and his connection with a crazed fan. I think creating that movie was the worst choice of all.
“Lurker,” on the other hand, is about a fake musician and his new friend. At we think they’re friends, because it does tend to switch things, and it does make the new friend transition from a meek guy to a manipulative guy budging himself in the musician’s world. And it’s more stylish and pulsating than it is creepy and cynical.
The meek guy I’m referring to is an LA retail employee named Matthew (Theodore Pellerin from “Boy Erased” and “Never Rarely Sometimes Always”), who meets the up-and-coming singer Oliver (Archie Madekwe, continuing to broaden his horizons as young actor) in the store he works at. After being invited to his concert, the young man is welcomed into the singer’s world. He even thanks him for allowing himself to be free, while inspiring Oliver that he will be big.
Oliver then asks Matthew to film his life within the new few weeks with an old Sony camera. Time to make a documentary. He might even be in Spike Jonze territory with one of the music videos. That’s how leveled up he gets, and he’s bringing back the style.
What isn’t an up-and-coming singer without a trip to London? What also isn’t a newbie without some new recognition? But what isn’t the music world without break-ups? And what isn’t a newbie without developing some kind of lurking? Hence the title: “Lurker.”
This happens to be the movie debut of Alex Russell, who also produced “Beef” and “The Bear.” As I look at the film, I’m reminded of the ads before the previews at the Angelika Film Center in New York. They’re usually authentic with the cinematography and people promoting the drinks or vacations. I might also be reminded of 90s music videos, thanks to the video camera.
As I’m feeling this film, I can’t acknowledge everything that happens, because as I mentioned, it does switch things around with the friendship between the two main characters. The singer likes the guy, but at one point, he doesn’t want him involved with his doc (there’s even a scene when Oliver and his crew leaves Matthew in London, like something out of “Gloria” or its American counterpart “Gloria Bell”). But soon, he welcomes him back into his life. And yet, Matthew’s involvement with Oliver transitions him into some kind of a jerk, who pushes himself in his world.
And yet, it all seems so real, and you’re able to read between the lines. Pellerin and Madewke are both universally excellent in their roles, because they represent the believability inside their characters.
Some of us might like the personality changes, while others might dislike them. In this case, we don’t like the new guy, but we like how the actor plays him. We have hated characters played by likable actors before (like Ben Stiller playing a jerk in “The Heartbreak Kid” or Melissa McCarthy playing a whiner in “Tammy”), but there are times when we would like the actor playing the jerk.
I’m talking about Pellerin as Matthew. Our reactions towards him all depends on how the screenplay chooses to display him. In this case, it’s fan based. Russell makes an impressive film debut, as he examines that kind of character in a music world, one that seems to love MTV music videos and the behaviors that come within. Partying, drinking, drugs, conflicts, and fan culture-they’re all part of this.
Do I like Matthew’s personality shift? Not really. But do I admire the poetry within? Well, it is done with style and the performances are great and real, so yeah. Again, I’ll take this movie over The Weeknd being annoyed and tortured by Jenna Ortega in “Hurry Up Tomorrow.”
In Select Theaters This Friday
