Influencer (2022)

Director: Kurtis David Harder

Starring: Emily Tennant, Rory J Saper, Cassandra Naud

While struggling on a solo backpacking trip in Thailand, social media influencer Madison meets CW, who travels with ease and shows her a more uninhibited way of living, but CW’s interest in her takes a darker turn.

Madison (Emily Tennant) loves taking pictures with her phone and she loves social media. In fact, she’s turned it into a career. Her happy social media photo’s are in fact misleading. She’s not happy, she is travelling alone, and upset with her boyfriend Ryan who couldn’t join her on her trip to Thailand.

Then she meets and befriends CW (Cassandra Naud), a seemingly carefree, high-spirited girl, who offers to take Madison sightseeing. Everything is going well until someone breaks into Madison’s hotel room one night and steals her passport. CW suggests she stays longer while waiting for her passport to be replaced, and then takes her to a secluded island. After joking about leaving her there, she does just that! Yup, it soon becomes clear to the audience CW is manipulator and fraudster.

CW then assumes Madison’s identity online and continues posting (manipulated) pictures of her travelling. Ryan becomes suspicious, and tries to figure out what is going on. ‘Influencer’ is a film for the new generation, who can relate to social media. For those not clued up with social media, this is still an entertaining watch with plenty of surprises. This is a psychological thriller that might just get under your skin at times.

‘Influencer’ is a well scripted and well acted film, and the beautiful scenery allows for good cinematography. By the way, if you thought CW’s birthmark was just part of her character, it is actually real. Cassandra Naud was born with the birthmark, and apparently now refuses to have it removed because it makes her stand out. Interesting.

Would I watch it again? Not sure; maybe.