Brazen “Borderline” Is a Bizarro Ball

Borderline (Jimmy Warden, 2025) 3 out of 5 stars

Can you imagine what it’s like to be a celebrity? Many have dreamed of it: to be world-famous and a household name. What some folks don’t consider, however, is the dark side to that fame. The ability to be instantly recognized comes with its fair share of problems, from invasion of personal privacy, getting crowded by ravenous fans, or the worst drawback: celebrity stalkers.

Unfortunately, there’s been an uptick of celebrity stalking lately. Basketball players have been targeted more frequently, joining the ever-steady gaze that movie stars and pop singers find themselves in. In any case, the issue remains the same: how can a famous person feel safe out in public, or even in their own home, when so many people know them? Director Jimmy Warden (writer of The Babysitter: Killer Queen) exploits this fear in the new horror-comedy Borderline.

In Borderline, a female pop star named Sofia (Samara Weaving, Scream VI) is in the sights of an obsessed stalker, Duerson (Ray Nicholson, Smile 2). Her bodyguard, Bell (Eric Dane, ABC’s Grey’s Anatomy) has had run-ins with Duerson before, and the latest confrontation led to a violent end, with Duerson ending up in jail and Bell severely injured. Now, as Bell recovers from the incident, Duerson escapes prison and is more determined than ever to get to Sofia.

In Duerson’s mind, he and Sofia were together for quite some time, and his sentence was merely them “breaking up” for a bit. But rest assured, he’s back and oh-so-sorry that he left his precious Sofia. To prove to her that he’s committed, he plans a wedding for them both that will take place at Sofia’s mansion. The only problem? Sofia has a boyfriend, and neither of them has any idea of what’s coming.

Borderline begins with a tense but amusing exchange between Bell and Duerson outside Sofia’s home. From the start, one can appreciate the quality dialogue and get a taste of the film’s off-kilter humor. The film then transports us a few months into the future as we see Sofia’s everyday routine and are introduced to her new boyfriend, Rhodes (Jimmie Fails, Nickel Boys). This is the slowest-moving and least-interesting part of the film, by far, and could be better, as neither Sofia nor Rhodes are that intriguing together, and neither are their activities.

Once Duerson shows up again, the fun, and horror, begin. The wacky, wild scenario of a stalker showing up at one’s house to marry them immediately is well-realized here, leading to some awkward laughs and decent comedy, though not all of it lands. The situation is equally as terrifying as it is preposterous, as Duerson is equal parts as horrifying as he is hilarious.

The performances of all the cast are exceptional. Weaving, Dane, and Fails are all great in their roles, but Nicholson is the standout here, and rightfully so. The son of legendary actor Jack Nicholson, Ray channels his father’s inner psycho in a performance that resembles Jack’s famous character from the horror classic The Shining. Ray’s portrayal of Duerson is still original enough to intrigue, though. The best part of Duerson’s character is that the viewer can never quite tell if he’s serious or bluffing. Is what he imagines actually real to him, or is he yanking everyone’s chain?

While the film does succeed mostly with what it’s trying to achieve, it goes too far in some aspects. Much of the humor comes from out-of-nowhere, which sometimes boosts the laughs even more, if you enjoy that kind of hilarity. Some of the moments are far too ludicrous, however, and lead to the point of confusion. The film also follows an odd timeline at certain points and contains some bizarre editing choices. These contribute to the film’s unique style, for sure, but can be perplexing.

There is a specific plot point that is mentioned a few times but never fully explored which I find completely unnecessary. I won’t reveal it here, as I would consider it a spoiler, but it essentially attempts to explain why Duerson is doing what he’s doing. I feel like this is not needed in the least bit, and the film works better from the viewpoint of Duerson simply being a random deranged fan that has delusions of grandeur.

Still, Borderline succeeds in providing a zany, quirky ride with some good tension and quality offbeat humor. The cast bring their A-game, and you can tell they are having a good time with their characters and the well-conceived dialogue. Some outlandish moments, style choices, and over-exposition do keep the film from being truly excellent, but it’s a fun time, nonetheless.

Matt Patti

Matt Patti has enjoyed voicing his opinions on films from a young age. He has lived in the Baltimore, Maryland, area since 2015 and is a graduate of Stevenson University’s Film & Moving Image program. Matt is currently back at Stevenson University, working as the School of Design, Arts, and Communication's Studio Manager.