Here’s our review for the new film “Borderline” where Samara Weaving plays a pop star being stalked by a fan convinced that they are meant to be together … by any means necessary
By Damon Martin — Editor/Lead Writer
Horror films come in all varieties but some of the truly scariest movies ever made are based around something that could actually happen in real life.
In the new film “Borderline,” Samara Weaving plays an aloof pop star named Sofia, who is being stalked by an unhinged predator named Paul (played by Ray Nicholson) after he’s absolutely convinced that they are destined to be together. Now if that sounds familiar, it’s sadly a reality that many actors, musicians and other celebrities actually have to deal with and some of those stories end with tragic consequences.
Jimmy Warden — the writer behind “Cocaine Bear” and Weaving’s real-life husband — handles writing and directing duties on this film, which is backed by Margot Robbie’s LuckyChap production company. In this film, Warden does his best to straddle a fine line between what could turn into a really disturbing story but he injects a ton of humor to diffuse many of the tensest moments in the movie.
The film opens with Paul showing up unannounced at a pop star’s mansion and he’s greeted by her head of security — played by “Euphoria” star Eric Dane — who recognizes him immediately and tries to diffuse the situation by calmly explaining to a clearly disturbed stalker that he doesn’t belong there and he needs to go before the cops get involved. But Paul is so disillusioned about his supposed “relationship” with Sofia that he’s gone far beyond being talked off a ledge and instead suddenly sees the security guard as the pop star he’s in love with.
Dane’s bodyguard named Bell placates Paul but it costs him when the unhinged individual ends up stabbing him multiple times before letting himself into the house where he really makes himself at home.
The story then picks up six months later with Paul institutionalized at a mental health care facility and Bell just about ready to return to work after recovering from his wounds. Meanwhile, Sofia is enjoying her rockstar lifestyle waking up next to a prominent player from the NBA as her latest conquest that ends with a romp in the sack and calling a cab for the guy in the morning.
But the story takes a turn for the terrifying when Paul manages to orchestrate his escape from the facility with the help of another inmate and an old friend that’s willing to help. Paul has to get out because he’s convinced that he’s going to marry Sofia and they’ll live happily ever after together.
The concept for this film isn’t exactly groundbreaking but Nicholson’s smiling maniac really does a great job selling the fact that he’s willing to do just about anything to get with the pop star he knows actually loves him deep down inside. Now there are definitely moments where Paul’s over-the-top antics definitely make him seem like more of a buffoon than a threat but that also speaks to some of weaker moments in the film when Warden leans too much into humor when he actually has some the opportunity to make a much more tense thriller.
Perhaps that’s not what he really wanted but there’s a solid 30 minutes where “Borderline” really does lean into a taut tale about obsession and how a pop star celebrity like Sofia might actually deal with a stalker willing to do anything to be with them. That’s actually the best part of this film when Warden really does ratchet up those emotions and it feels like he almost wanted to go full “Bodyguard” for a moment but then decided to switch back to a more traditional action-comedy.
Where the story really suffers is how “Borderline” somehow puts Weaving’s lead character in a secondary role through much of the film and instead focuses on Dane’s security guard trying to find a way to protect his client and tend to his daughter, who fears for her dad once he goes off to work again. In many ways this almost becomes Bell’s movie as he races against the clock to save Sofia, who is effectively a surrogate family member to him.
But undoubtedly the most frustrating part about this film is the decision making from some of the characters.
There are definitely moments you might chalk up to “this is just how you advance a plot” but there are some truly baffling and dumbfounding instances in this film that have you screaming at the screen. In particular, Dane’s bodyguard is really, really bad at his job yet the movie treats him like he’s the hero when in reality he’d probably get fired about 10 minutes into protecting Sofia.
It almost feels like Warden would have been better off making Dane’s character an actual relative to Sofia — an uncle or brother perhaps that looks after her — because this guy couldn’t keep a ham sandwich safe much less a pop star living in the public spotlight.
When the focus shifts away from the bodyguard, the interactions between Weaving’s Sofia and Nicholson’s band of misfits is actually really fun. Weaving expertly navigates playing a believable pop star scared for her life but she also exhibits just enough bravery to make you believe she could get through this all on her own.
Weaving doesn’t miss with her performances and she really does nail this role. If anything, it almost felt like she could have been presented with a little bit more material because she really does shine when she takes center stage.
The same can be said for Nicholson, who is suddenly becoming a household name after memorable appearances in films like “Smile 2” and another new film “Novocaine.” He really does play the comic relief in this movie but he’s just believable enough as the stalker that you might worry if Sofia makes it out alive after a night spent with this lunatic.
Another standout performance comes from Alba Batista as Penny because she’s actually the much scarier character after she gets introduced as a patient from the same mental institution that housed Paul prior to their escape. Penny really is a predator posing as a house pet and she’s clearly the one willing to kill or maim to get what she wants.
What she wants exactly is never made totally clear but that also allows her to remain completely detached from reality throughout the film.
Overall, “Borderline” is a fun yet disturbing exploration into obsession and toxic fandom but the mind-numbingly dumb decisions made at times really drag the movie down. Still, it’s never a bad time to watch Weaving showcase her talents and going up against Nicholson’s Paul is a not-so-subtle reminder that fame and fortune still comes with plenty of pitfalls.
Our rating: 3 out of 5 Tarmans
“Borderline” is available in limited theaters and video on demand.
