In Alex Haughey’s sophomore feature film Under The Influencer, lead character Tori struggles with continuing to find happiness 10 years into her career as a content creator and popular online personality, with her sense of self worth declining along with her waning viewership. Played by Taylor Joree Scorse, Tori’s constant pursuit of more attention and affection from her fanbase leads her to a breaking point - a point where she ultimately finds freedom, liberation, and a more fulfilling sense of self away from the limelight.

In the development of Under The Influencer, Haughey drew from his experience as a producer for a YouTube influencer to craft this story, and as outlandish the antics in the film can be at times, it’s that background with influencer involvement that anchors the objective of the film in a place of authenticity and maturity. Despite exploring a world most viewers aren’t involved with, the characters all feel like people we can relate with.

It’s evident that the human condition is at the core of the stories Haughey wants to share through his feature films, and it’s an admirable focal point to build his passion for filmmaking around. Here in Under The Inferencer, audiences get a glimpse at the immense pressure and psychological devastation endured by an influencer with few boundaries separating her persona from her identity. Technology and social media aren’t the antagonists in this film - its one’s own obsession with attention to beware of, and Under The Influencer serves as a timely cautionary tale about the toll that can be taken on those hinging their value on validation from the internet.

Departing from the dark and sinister tone Haughey built his debut feature, Prodigy, around, Under The Influencer takes its visual style cues from the state of its protagonist - bubbly and vibrant for the first half of the film, then raw and refined in the second half following an inciting incident and record-flip shift in the narrative and the character’s presence. Without warning, this shift may come off as jarring for some, but the conversations that ensue help ease that transition. Tori might find herself struggling with this “quarter life crisis” as an influencer in this moment, but Scorse makes this character a captivating individual to follow nonetheless.

And therein lies the true jewel of Under The Influencer: a brilliant acting talent occupying the lead role. Taylor Joree Scorse rises to the occasion with her portrayal of Tori, fully embracing all of this character’s personas and complexities. From the over pressured influencer to her Audrey Hepburn-esque inner voice to the natural and reserved individual trying to find her way like the rest of us, Scorse tackles the intricacies of this character with great ambition for capturing what the life of an overwhelmed influencer might be like. One pivotal scene in particular that finds Tori at wits end swings Scorse’s acting chops from perky and quirky to downright heartbreaking in an extended one-take that serves as an highly emotive tipping point for the story.

Scorse’s acting talent in conjunction with Haughey’s direction makes Under The Influencer an endearing and engaging film. As a moviegoer, it might be easy to be drawn to more tangible hallmarks of a filmmaker, be it a commitment to genre or filmmaking style or recurring collaboration partnership. With Under The Influncer’s dedication to authenticity in storytelling, Haughey has crafted a narrative that most people - influencer or not - can empathize with.  It seems he relies on more intangible elements to define his narrative features: character study, introspection, and a better understanding of our humanity through conversation. I for one wish that would go more viral than any meme, place, or person.

Acting/Casting - 2 | Visual Effects and Editing - 2 | Story and Message - 2 | Entertainment Value - 1 | Music Score and Soundtrack - 1 | Reviewer’s Preference - 1 | What does this mean?