LIKE. SHARE. FOLLOW
US, 2017, 97 minutes, Colour.
Keiynan Lonsdale, Ema Horvath, Nate Hartley, Amy Pham, Abraham Benrubi.
Directed by Glenn Gers.
The title immediately speaks to the experience of social media death at ease who can click like, who can click share, who can click follow.
This is a film which acknowledges social media and its importance in the modern world. And, as with films like this, it is also a cautionary tale.
Central character is Garrett, played by Australian Keiynan Lonsdale, who finds he has 2 million viewers for the little films that he continually makes for screening on You Tube. He is aided by his friend from childhood, Lyle, and the camera operator, Kiki. He also plays computer games with a selection of online and visual friends. One of them is anonymous, Fan Girl. For whatever reason, whether Garrett realises it or not, he gives encouragement to Fan Girl to reveal herself.
She does, at first with charm, then with seduction. Audiences realise that this is a story about stalking – and this is a very determined girl, with bad psychological history, a history of violence and murder, who brooks no opposition which Garrett offers after he discovers how he has been manipulated.
Quite a lot about stalking, quite a lot about detective work and what is acceptable in law and not, “he says versus she says�.
The whole experience makes Garrett look at his own life, listen to the advice of his bookstore owner father, take time out…
The stalker eventually watches all of Garrett’s tapes, is able to discover where he has gone in retreat, goes for a final violent-slasher confrontation.
The ending is not quite what we expect – quite some irony in the contact who comes to rescue him (and is prepared to look after him as long as it takes, not taking him to a hospital…).
1. A contemporary thriller, background of social media, stalkers, crime and touches of horror?
2. The target audience, young adults and younger audiences? The response of older audiences – and the response of Garrett’s father in the film?
3. California, homes and apartments, offices, police departments, bookstore, home studio? The open Californian countryside, the home in the countryside, interiors and exteriors? The musical score?
4. The significance of social media, the impact of Youtube, everybody being on Youtube? Liking, sharing, following, subscribing – and as many as 2 million followers?
5. The title, the experience of social media, Facebook, Youtube, communication, inter-communication, friends, personalities, anonymous followers?
6. Garrett’s story? Age, experience, agreeable, relationship with his father, his father wanting him to do better, his father’s bookstore, Garrett giving him the cheque, proving himself to his father? Yet the consequences, Shell and her destroying the bookstore, and his father’s wry remark about the cheque?
7. Garrett, his friend Lyle, from childhood? Kiki and her doing the camera work? Garrett on screen, the humorous films for Youtube, his performances, comic, bizarre, with the help of Lyle? The fans, the range of personalities, young men and young women, appreciating Garrett, but, ultimately, not taking him to seriously or believing him? And the group
playing the computer games, their connections?
8. The introduction of Fan Girl? Garrett and his dialogue with her? Later accused of leading her on? His being aware or not? Automatic and curious? His arrival home, the girl at the desk, the attraction, his fan mail? Talking with her, Michelle – Shell? Going out, talking, going home, her seductive and charming manner, the sexual encounter, the aftermath?
9. The truth about Shell, stalking Garrett, getting into his house, the episode with Lyle and her getting the key, the continued texting, the messages, her love, her desperation? The video on Youtube of lovemaking? The detective, his advice, the difficulty of “he says – she says�? The detective giving him more information, her file, her parents finding her violent, the deaths associated with her, in the institution, getting out, getting rid of people she did not like? The sad irony of the detective opening the door being shot with the arrow?
10. Garrett? The effect, discussions with Lyle?, Kiki and the difficulties, her having to leave? Garrett deciding whether he would keep with his fans or go away? The further effects of Shell and her stalking, her pleading?
11. The decision to go to the house in the country, with Lyle, setting up the security, keeping the program going, performing for the fans, Garrett out in the snow, Lyle frightening him, the tension?
12. Shell, watching the tapes over and over, discovering where he was, warning him, not having him in life but having him in death?
13. Her travelling to the house, the warning that she had come, Lyle, fear, getting the car, her threats but her passing him by, his driving away? The confrontation in the house, Garrett and his fear, Shell and her determination? Garrett and his pleading to the group, to phone the police, giving the address? The power going out? The contacts not taking Garrett seriously?
14. The confrontation, the fight, Shell and her death, her wounding Garrett?
15. The irony of the fan, coming to rescue him, in the car, not taking him to a hospital, her wanting to look after him for as long as it took…? And the irony of the police car with Lyle passing them on the road?
