In this entertainment age of Insta-fame and DIY marketing, that guardian of a music celebrity’s presence and reputation – the A&R guy – has all but disappeared. Or maybe they’re just unseen, in the back boardroom keeping busy counting royalties. There’s certainly no official artist representation for the central celeb in new film Lurker, as Cream’s contributing reviewer Colin Harte discovers…

Lurker is a demure, slow-burning thriller about a seemingly ordinary person in the street who manages to fall in with an up-and-coming R’n’B star’s entourage. Except in this case the follower and fan, Mathew Morning, played brilliantly by Théodore Pellerin (Boy Erased), works in an L.A. fashion store selling streetwear. Actually, Mathew doesn’t just fall into the entourage; in a cunning display of Machiavellian finesse he subtly forces himself in. And he sure as hell isn’t going to allow himself to fall out.

The movie deliciously portrays the toxic power dynamics at play in the art and music scene, a world of dangerous ladders to the top and jokes that assert dominance.

The celebrated figure – single-monikered Oliver – is portrayed by a cute but confident-enough Archie Madekwe (Saltburn), but the R’n’B star is at first greener than a newbie in any given industry, let alone one as fickle and cut-throat as the music circuit.

Archie Madekwe plays the pop star part pretty well until his character realises he’s been had by one of his biggest fans, performed brilliantly by Théodore Pellerin.

Lurker reveals the darker side of fame, and in this particular case, its insane influence on one particular individual’s behaviour. Mathew doesn’t just want to get close to his music idol, he wants to share the limelight and bask in the afterglow. It’s stalking of the subtlest form, but also the most dangerous.

In many ways, ‘Lurker’ is a film for our times. At no other point in history has a society been so universally obsessed with fame. And if fame is one of the key virtues of our time, then sociopathic pursuit of it is inevitalbe. When success is all that matters, everything else is irrelevant.

The film even takes a few swipes at performative authenticity, and whilst this all sounds very serious, it still delivers some dark laughs.

Like all good thrillers, the film has its share of twists and turns, including a pacing shift when it transitions from a drama-style pace to a noiresque rhythm. And like all good thrillers, while watching it, you will be trying to guess just how things will end. Put it this way, it’s not all pretty.

‘Lurker’ is in cinemas including Luna Leederville from November 27.

Collectorzone is hosting another collectibles and hobbies fair this month and we’re already there

Artist Ben Frost is moving house, so stacks of his fantastic artworks are going on sale at the end of this month

Been There, Read That: The 20 Most Written-About European Cities in Fictional Literature

From the Vault: an interview with Suede frontman Brett Anderson, new album ‘Antidepressants’ out now

PopPics©: a cream magazine concept and product that is part online game, part pop/news guide, and all very fun to play

Steve Kilbey of The Church says he prefers to be wired for sound but he’s not too keen on this thing called ‘electromagnetic pollution’ (apparently you can get it from an iPhone!)