'Influencer' successfully goes where others have gone before
Shudder
When’s the last time a horror movie made you exclaim out loud?
To be clear: “Influencer” is more of a psychological thriller — it’s only horror if you want to be extremely cynical about your next vacation — and isn’t going to inspire a gasp. But I loved the first act, in which Madison (Emily Tennant) pretends to, like, totally experience the beauty and culture of Thailand for all her followers but is really lonely and disengaged, creating generic scenery-based content and eating a burger and fries at the hotel. That’s until she meets CW (Cassandra Naud), who’s also on her own and seems like she can help turn the fake transformative experience into something Madison actually enjoys. When the opening credits finally arrive on screen after 28 minutes and a surprise that definitely shouldn’t be spoiled, I’m not sure if I audibly declared “Oh, yeah!” but I can’t say for sure that I didn’t.
In some ways like a social media-based version of “Hostel,” “Influencer” (directed and co-written by Kurtis David Harder) creates a sinister world where money and attention are available to a lucky, naive, self-involved contingent who, well, have a certain look, or something (at least according to Madison’s boyfriend Ryan [Rory J. Saper], who’s some kind of influencer developer, a profession I obviously hope more people go into). There’s also a sense that the existence of a facade matters less than people’s willingness to buy into it, whether due to envy or admiration or otherwise. Tennant and Naud are both strong, and it wouldn’t be surprising to see them get more, bigger opportunities as a result.
Of course, the first section is worth celebrating partly because of how “Influencer” ultimately becomes a letdown, with too much happening too easily and straining credibility when its initial strength comes from the unseen vulnerability of living publicly in a society that isn’t actually there for you. (Its statement about how people perceive beauty is still relevant but outdated and questionable in its execution.) The movie also has big shoes to fill when compared with the unsettling precision of “Ingrid Goes West” or shifting identities and drool-inducing locations of “The Talented Mr. Ripley.”
Regardless, there’s something here that endures longer than a post you’ve hearted or a hollow statement about travel that isn’t informed by actual experience and learning. Influencers might be a really easy target, but “Influencer” still hits one.
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