Finally! At long last, we have a review for Obsession on the site. It feels like it’s been a long time coming. We’ve seen so many movies this year, but one of the most buzzed-about ones simply passed us by. But with the spooky season upon us, and it being available on streaming, it seemed like a good time to check it out finally. Was it worth the hype when it came out, or was it all overblown? Let’s find out.
Obsession, made for a paltry $750,000, features a small cast of unknowns and only a few locations, and yet it feels bigger and bolder than many of its big-budget contemporaries. It stars Michael Johnston as Bear, a shy, awkward 20-something-year-old who works at a local music store. He has all the feels for Nikki (Inde Navarrette), his coworker who sees him more as a friend than as someone worth dating, despite them getting along really well. After shopping for a gift for her comes up short, he buys a One Wish Willow on a whim and wishes that she’ll love him more than anyone in the world. Moments later, Nikki returns to him, seemingly a whole new person, open to the idea of a romantic future with Bear. But as the old adage says, be careful what you wish for.
Despite not being billed by A-listers, Obsession shines with its cast. The acting in the film is quite good, from Bear flip-flopping between acceptance, fear, and denial over and over again, and Navarrette’s completely batshit crazy turn as Nikki, someone who seemingly loves someone so blindly and passionately that she’ll go to any extreme to hold and preserve that love, even when it’s not real. Take away the supernatural angle, and it’s a very interesting look at toxic relationships on its own.
But this is also a horror movie. Even with its smaller budget, Obsession delivers thanks to the great role Navarette gives for Nikki, a completely unhinged and terrifying performance. But the film also boasts some very effective lighting, often drenching Nikki in complete darkness, reducing her to nothing more than a silhouette or a mass. It also takes some big, disturbing swings that’ll likely make you feel very
In the end, I found Obsession was very much worth the hype. It was well-acted, well-shot, insightful, disturbing, and exceeded my expectations. Worth a watch this Halloween season if you’ve yet to check it out!
