What would you do if you had one wish that you knew would come true, no matter what it was? Would you wish for infinite wealth? Eternal happiness? World peace? How about the ever-lasting love of your unrequited crush? That’s the wish of choice for Baron ‘Bear’ Bailey, who learns the hard way that sometimes getting what you wished for isn’t all it’s caked up to be. The latest feature film from Curry Barker, Obsession follows one young man’s naive wish, and all the horrific consequences born from it, as he learns the hard way that supernatural forces are not known for their empathy and understanding. The end result is a film that’s a total knock-out, one of the most unsettling and uneasy horror films of the decade so far and an instant classic in the making.
Curry Barker, akin to filmmakers such as Zach Creggar and The Philippou Brothers, has a background in sketch comedy and Youtube, generally known for being a part of the comedy duo that’s a bad idea. In recent years, he has ventured into the horror genre, crafting numerous short films before his viral debut, the found-footage horror film Milk & Serial. Following the success of these short films, he was scouted and given a budget of around million dollars to craft his studio film debut, Obsession. Like his contemporaries, he doesn’t hold back on getting gnarly and disgusting with his film, which ventures into some dark territory as it pushes its central concept further and further. However, unlike many filmmakers working in the genre today, Barker seems to never forget that the most unsettling aspect of the film is the very human, very flawed and very real emotional centre that leads the film to its carnage.
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As mentioned previously, Obsession follows an anxious young man named Bear, who works a dead-end job at a music store and has an unrequited crush on his co-worker, Nikki. Following the death of his cat, Sandy, Bear tries to work up the courage to ask Nikki out and be honest with his feelings for her. As he attempts this, he purchases a ‘One Wish Willow’, a vintage toy that ostensibly grants its user a singular wish of their choosing. When his attempts to be honest with his feelings fail, Bear wishes on the willow that Nikki loves him. From there, things go horrifically downhill, as Obsession repeatedly allows us to question the morals of its protagonist, who seemingly lacks any concern or consideration for Nikki’s own free will and agency in his quest for ‘her love’. This is a mean-spirited film, akin to last year’s Bring Her Back, in that it makes no pretenses that what Bear is doing is okay under any circumstances. His punishment is the consequences of his own actions, and the film ventures into far more complex and emotionally challenging territory when exploring the repercussion of his wish that one might expect going in.
The script, written by Barker himself, is phenomenal. It is rare to see a horror film so cleverly written, in that so many dialogue sequences have dual meanings, with so much subtext to come through that becomes text as the film goes on. Obsession does have comedic elements, but they’re woven in so thoughtfully, expertly relieving tension when things get almost nauseatingly uneasy, and never hindering the emotional sincerity of the film itself or lessening the impact of the violent and tragic moments. This film truly allows itself to fully focus on its characters, making them feel almost painfully real in a way that pushes the film beyond a simple supernatural possession story. Everyone here has flaws, positives, and their own internal mindset that is reflected in the film itself. The end result is that the emotional beats genuinely land, and the stretches of the film that don’t feature much horror don’t feel like padding or unnecessary. Instead, they are the glue that holds the entire film together.
Courtesy of Universal Pictures
This is aided by the film’s phenomenal pacing, which is incredibly deliberate at every single turn. It moves between tones seamlessly and effortlessly, never spending longer than it needs to on a specific scene or moment, unless it is actively forcing you to stay in a moment to make you uncomfortable. Barker also edited the film himself, and it’s a mericilessly tight edit, with every scene feeling like an important step in the film’s larger direction, never indulging tangents or unnecessary elements. It’s only 100 minutes long, and that absolutely flies by once things get going, but it truly feels like you get attached to these characters in the meantime. When the film comes starts getting violent, with explosive moments of bloodshed and other horrific substances, it’s very much earned, as we’ve indulged the character’s actions (or inaction, in the case of Bear) for long enough.
On a technical element, I would have never believed this film had the tight budget it did until I researched into it myself, because it looks absolutely phenomenal. Cinematographer Taylor Clemons shot the film almost entirely centre-framed in order to ‘feel uncomfortable with it’s loneliness’ and it works beautifully, with every single scene of Obsession feeling uneasy from the very start to the very end. Things just never feel ‘right’ and the camera doesn’t look away when you expect it to, lingering on the uncomfortable truth of the situation at every turn, and making the film almost disgustingly tense throughout. You are a voyeur here, watching this and accepting this, and the film makes it clear that what you are watching is nothing less than a total violation of Nikki’s bodily consent and agency. It’s disturbing at every turn, and is aided by phenomenal sound design, which really allows the drastic ranges of all of the performances to shine, as well as Barker’s previously mentioned great editing, that keeps the film lean and efficient.
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Michael Johnston stars as Bear in what is a brilliantly uneasy performance. He portrays Bear as a man uncomfortable in his own skin most of the time, very rarely at ease or not residing in some form of anxiety, which becomes pure terror as he has to face the results of his wish. He also portrays Bear as relatively repugnant, and selfish to a fault, with a flippantness and a selfish, cold-hearted nature to some of his actions that really allow the films’ themes to shine. He rides the line well between sympathetic and utterly detestable, as ultimately his motivation for the wish is a naive, very relatable one; He wishes that his crush loved him back, that’s all it is in his mind. Where this becomes questionable then, is his continued inaction even as things get horrifically distressing and disturbing, as he refuses to give up this new found relationship that is clearly damaging all of those around him, including Nikki. Johnston absolutely knocks this difficult mixed-emotion state out of the park, portraying Bear as an anxious young man who doubles down on his decision out of fear he will lose what he’s always wanted, paying no regard for how intensely it damages the woman he supposedly loves.
Inde Navarette‘s performance in this film is going to go down as one of the greatest horror performances of this decade, if not of all time, and you can mark my word on that. She’s given an immensely difficult task here, trying to make this obsessive, love-struck and deranged young woman more than a one-note caricature. She succeeds with flying colors, effortlessly switching tones, moods and acting styles scene-to-scene, or sometimes multiple times within the same scene. Her scream-laden anger and fear as Bear’s love slips away from her is something to behold, truly beastly and terrifying in all of the best ways, as is her doting and affectionate, vapid adoration for him. The lynchpin to her performance is a sense of tragedy, as this woman’s autonomy has been completely stripped away from her. There are sequences in this film where the ‘real’ Nikki comes out from inside the one obligated to follow Bear’s wish, and it’s utterly heartbreaking, scaring me on a more profound level than any film has in years. It’s a real all-timer acting performance right here, one deserving of all the praise in the world and then some, for without her the film would not have gone beyond a simple monkey’s paw narrative into something far more emotionally devastating.
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The two major supporting performances of the film are Cooper Tomlinson as Ian, Bear’s best friend and foil, and Megan Lawless as Sarah, an artistically minded co-worker of the group that harbors complicated feelings for Bear. Whilst the bulk of this movie is understandably focused on Johnston, Navarette and their dynamic, the scenes with the supporting characters are just as good and feel just as real. Tomlinson, Barker’s comedic duo partner for many years, imbues Ian with a cocky and grating attitude that serves as a perfect counter to Bear and his antics. Ian comparatively is far more down to earth, and whilst he seems abrasive on the outside, he actually comes across as one of the most level-headed characters in the cast when all is said and done. Lawless is a highlight of the film as Sarah, a representation of what Bear’s life could have been if he hadn’t wished for Nikki’s love above all else, and a glimmer of a healthy relationship he could’ve had. Lawless gives the character a quiet grace and sadness, that shines in the moments where Bear gets to be sincerely himself again, and we see the sympathetic figure lost somewhere along the way.
Obsession has a lot of interweaving thematic ideas present, most of which revolve around modern romance and love in the present day. Bear, a ‘nice’ young man, has no regard for Nikki’s wants and desires, and consistently goes against them even after she becomes obsessed with him. He doesn’t understand the interiority of women, and that’s why he feels like he is owed something by Nikki in return for his love and adoration. The film pushes this to its darkest logical extremes, and handles these incredibly dark concepts with grace and care. Bear completely disregards her autonomy, both her body and her mind, and that ongoing violation of agency makes for the film’s most unsettling and discomforting element. We are helpless to watch as he uses her for love, and then is repulsed by the consequences of his actions. Nikki’s posessed self, then, is a fantasy, a woman with no agency apart from love and adoration for her male partner, down to the fact that she stands and waits for him to get back whilst he leaves the house. She only exists for him and no one else. It’s disgusting, and a disturbing look at the very real mindset that many misogynists deploy in toxic relationships in order to exert control over their partner.
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This isn’t the only idea the film wants to explore, though, even if its’ the central one. Nikki’s tumultuous emotional behavior can function as a stand-in for living with a partner who suffers from mental illness or addiction as well, with violent mood swings contrasted with moments of gentle emotional affection and loving acts. In the moments where the ‘real’ Nikki seeps out, you can hear the anguish of someone who is immensely uncomfortable and in great pain at what’s become of their life and what has happened to her. Bear’s psyche also makes for an interesting look at the mind-set of modern men in romantic settings, in that he feels genuine romantic affection for someone, but instead chooses to project his feelings on to the woman he is closest to and finds more physically attractive. This interlinks with how the film can be perceived as a metaphor for sexual assault, or sexually abusive relationships, as Bear ‘forces’ a behavioral change in Nikki in order to get physical affection from her and adoration. Like mentioned previously, the film ventures into some truly messed up places, exploring some of the most emotionally distressing ideas that a horror film can, and yet it does it beautifully well. It handles these films with empathy, sincerity, and it isn’t afraid to state its opinion and condemn the truly guilty in this situation.
Obsession left me shaken and disturbed in a way that no horror film has since Hereditary did eight years ago. It is a stellar horror film, uneasy and unsettling from the first minute to the last, telling a terrifying and horrific story that tackles vital and important themes with care and sensitivity. Helmed by two brilliant lead performances, it’s challenging in the best ways, leaving the viewer genuinely moved in an emotionally profound way. By taking the initial concept and pushing it to the furthest it can go, but conveying that story with empathy and genuine passion, the end result is a film that goes beyond simply scary and ends up leaving a deeply powerful impact on the viewer. This is not the type of horror film you see very often. It is no less than an instant classic, a reminder of all of the amazing things that the genre is capable of, and how brilliant the genre can be when in the hands of people who genuinely care about crafting the best story possible. It hasn’t left my mind since watching it, and I doubt it will leave yours either; it’s easy to become obsessed when a film is, quite simply, this fucking brilliant.
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