‘Obsession’ Movie Review – Is It Worth Watching?

Obsession is an intense horror thriller from YouTube creator turned feature filmmaker Curry Barker, who’s best known for the viral short The Chair and his $800 micro-budget hit Milk & Serial. The film centres on Baron and Nikki, two music store coworkers who become romantically entangled, starting with the would-be suitor conducting a mock trial of his attempt to win her over. The story pivots to its central concept around a “One Wish Willow” – a retro toy found in a New Age shop while the young man is looking for a gift. He purchases the device on a whim and uses it, only to quickly realise the waking nightmare of her newfound, forced affections. It soon becomes clear that going against the natural order of things comes with steep consequences.

Leaning heavily into its title, this horror serves as an allegory for deeply toxic relationships where people are trapped in a trauma bond, unable to escape the chaos and dysfunction while wild fluctuations keep them unbalanced and confused. It’s a brilliant examination of a strange situation where someone can – much like Stockholm Syndrome – feel love for their oppressor. In Obsession, Baron (Bear) is so infatuated with his muse, Nikki, that he’s willing to make a series of personal sacrifices to sustain a relationship that continues to glitch. While it’s a fairly simple concept at its essence, the timeless human aspects of unrequited love and dysfunction ring true. Seemingly blinded by his Obsession, Bear receives a terrifyingly distorted return on his love, compounded by extreme forms of jealousy, insecurity, and possessiveness.

It’s as if his lover is possessed, stretched to her breaking point, and behaving in such erratic ways that there’s no hiding from their disturbing reality. The intimate cast centres on just four actors: Michael Johnston, Inde Navarrette, Megan Lawless, and Cooper Tomlinson. Though relatively unknown, they are surprisingly adept and completely believable. Navarrette deserves special recognition for her wickedly unhinged performance; she manages to transform her character and keep herself in check without ever derailing the film. Going to some dark places and maintaining control over several challenging scenes, the cast more than delivers the goods in this harrowing, well-acted thriller.

“I’ll be watching you.”

Obsession does have the occasional wobble where it feels like it might spin out, but the film always manages to keep a lid on things just as the potboiler begins to bubble over. Each new situation makes you wonder how Bear could possibly keep hanging on, yet it remains entirely relatable for anyone who has ever had a crush and wished their affection would be returned in equal measure. The film is masterfully woven together, nimbly remaining engaging and intense without needing to supersize its scenes – keeping things grounded and often venturing into the awkward realm of everyday social interactions. It retains its prickly, swirling tension just when you think things couldn’t get any more strained or weird.

The filmmakers consistently up the ante, using the central concept as a springboard that carries its own rules and limitations. It’s the kind of film that doesn’t feel overly gimmicky, allowing the tense interactions and drama to truly shine through. Solid performances all round, sharp writing, an effective soundtrack, and attentive direction help keep the line taut as the deeply engaging story unfolds.

Difficult to watch at times, Obsession is definitely not for sensitive viewers, featuring extreme violence and nightmarish sequences designed to unsettle even the most hardened horror fans. There is truly never a dull moment in this driving thriller, which thrives simultaneously as a social drama, a twisted romance, and a grotesque horror film. Much like Hereditary, the wild upward spiral threatens to derail the film after some terrific groundwork, but its balance of dread and tension manages to hold the line. It’s a phenomenal theatrical feature film debut for Curry Barker, and one that will no doubt serve as a brilliant calling card for everyone involved.

The bottom line: Harrowing