Obsession is a Simple Premise Done Effectively
Love hurts
3.5/5 stars
Some of the most effective horror film plots are derived from an extremely simple idea. It takes true skill as a filmmaker to take a simple premise and squeeze as much horror out of it as possible, and that is just the case for YouTuber Curry Barker's feature debut, Obsession. The film is a deeply disturbing and, at times, darkly funny story, and while it goes a little off the rails in the end, it is a horrific answer to the question: "What if someone really loved somebody more than anything in the world?".
Baron "Bear" Bailey (Michael Johnston) is a young man with a longtime crush on his friend Nikki Freeman (Inde Navarette), but he is far too timid to ever confess his feelings. One day, he buys a trinket called "One Wish Willow," which promises to make his deepest wish come true, and he wishes that Nikki loved him more than anything in the world. Suddenly, Nikki is completely enamored with Bear, but her romantic obsession becomes deadlier as the days pass.
The film is almost unbearably tense at times as Nikki's devotion becomes more and more extreme, and Barker makes effective use of shadows and unnatural movements of his actors. But the real draw of this film comes from Inde Navarette's performance, which, much like Mia Goth in Pearl and Lupita Nyong'o in Us, is a powerhouse of emotional distress. Her eyes, voice, and erratic expressions fully convince us she's a woman not in control of her feelings. Even as the film falls into ridiculous territory, her performance and Barker's direction cement this as one of the most unnerving horror films in years.
Written and directed by Curry Barker // Starring Michael Johnston, Inde Navarette, Cooper Tomlinson, Megan Lawless, Haley Fitzgerald, Darin Toonder, Anthony Pavone, Justice, Anthony Casabianca, Chloe Breen, and Andy Richter // Focus Features // 108 minutes // Rated R
