"Thanks for the ride, you kids have fun". You know I've never had a Lyft or Curb driver say that to me as I was getting out of their vehicle. I'd think they'd be a little off if they did.
Anyway, a ride-share driver decides to ruin the life of a nice guy rider because he won't be the driver's best bud. That's the initial gist of 2020's Stalker (my latest review). After seeing Stalker, I wouldn't be surprised if a viewer avoided getting into Ubers, moving to LA, or giving a random their cell phone number. Heck, it all felt too real to me.
Released on the Internet in June of this year, Stalker is initially pretty familiar stuff. I mean if you've seen Taxi Driver, 2018's Ride, The Cable Guy, or Nightcrawler you're getting what I'm throwing at you. I'm talking flicks where weirdo psychos drive around uncontrolled in cars or just wanna hang out cause they're freaking lonely.
Stalker's director (Tyler Savage) pits Los Angeles at its most dark, most DTA-d, and least tinseled. His film is like his last name and it starts blase until things render creepier with each passing minute.
Now would Stalker be able to be made 20-30 years ago? Probably not. The film sledgehammers social media and stealing one's identity as a villainous property. And is Stalker the type of pic that trades justness and solace for an unhappy and upsetting ending? You bet.
Debit card fraud and Snapchats begot, Stalker gives you a doozy of a concluding twist that almost makes it a trifling exercise. Aside from showing the evil that men (and women) do, Stalker is just peripheral remorselessness. It's a fairly well-made thriller that eventually leaves you with a sour taste in your mouth. That's why I'm only giving it a "2.5 star rating". Natch.
Written by Jesse Burleson
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