Follow Her (2023)

The rise of social media has profoundly impacted our social and psychological landscape, and it is no surprise that it has become a popular theme in various film genres. Nowadays, one of the quickest paths to fame is going viral on a digital platform. In the case of Jess, an aspiring actress and Follow Her's main character (played by Dani Barker, who also wrote the screenplay), her ambition is to become one of the most watched individuals on a fictional online platform. To achieve this, she orchestrates humiliating situations for people and records their reactions. While her channel, "Classified Crazies," gains some attention, it's not enough to sustain her luxurious lifestyle in New York City, which is about to change drastically when her affluent father cuts her off financially.

Jess, who uses the username J_PEEPS, is far from a likable protagonist. She is a shallow con artist who doesn't care much about the consequences of her actions. However, when she inadvertently fails to blur the face of one of the men she encounters, exposing his fetish to the public, her questionable ethics come under scrutiny. She receives a message from a writer named Tom Brady, an unlikely name, who reaches out to her. As she presents herself during their interaction, Jess, or instead, Lucy Byers, decides to take a risk and meet the screenwriter in a remote location with unreliable cell reception. She assumes he only wants her to read his script. Or so it seems.

To Jess's surprise, Tom Brady (portrayed by Luke Cook) is an attractive and charming Australian man. Jess is captivated by his charisma and agrees to follow him to his secluded cottage to review his work, enticed by the additional incentive of $1500. However, once she arrives at the cabin, the atmosphere changes dramatically. Tom drops his Australian accent, and his script, titled "Classified Killer," begins to mirror their real-time interaction. Both 'Tom' and 'Lucy' are fictional identities, and one could potentially be deadly. Will Jess survive as the final girl in "Classified Killer," or will she become another lifeless body hidden in the woods?

Tom and Jess engage in a thrilling and erotically charged cat-and-mouse game. Each believes they hold the upper hand, and the story takes unexpected twists and turns. Tom not only strips away Jess's 'Lucy' persona, but he also physically tears down her facade, forcibly removing her hair extensions, makeup, and any semblance of self-esteem she believed she possessed. Director Sylvia Caminer and Barker create a vicious satire, highlighting Jess's dangerous obsession with her social media presence, which leads her to risk her life to maintain it. The final twist is astute and clever, leaving one to wonder if such a scenario could unfold in real life.

The film's horror element oscillates between psychological and tangible fear, drawing more from the style of Alfred Hitchcock than relying on overt scares (although the tension remains palpable). The premise cuts through the narrative like a sharp knife, and with both Barker and Cook delivering top-notch performances in this twisted game, "Follow Her" delves deep into the current cultural conversation. The film is a wild and often darkly humorous ride, sharply satirizing its targets and offering incisive social commentary. Considering it is a low-budget debut feature, it packs a punch, delivering thrills, chills, comedy, and thought-provoking observations on society.