This review stems from its premiere at the 2025 Fantastic Fest Film Festival.
Fans of online content might recognize Curry Barker from his popular sketch comedy or his acclaimed horror short films. However, “Obsession” marks his powerful and unsettling mainstream debut, showcasing a twisted creative vision poised to revolutionize the horror genre. The film’s significant acquisition by Focus Features for over $15 million underscores its undeniable impact and Barker’s emergent talent.
The story centers on Michael Johnston as Baron, affectionately known as Bear, a shy employee at Cassell’s Music. Initially, the premise is deceptively sweet: Bear harbors a deep crush on his vibrant coworker, Nikki (played by Inde Navarrette), and nervously plans to confess his feelings. After a clumsy attempt fails, Bear, in a moment of desperation, turns to a peculiar object – a “One Wish Willow” stick. Believing it grants a single wish, he utters his heart’s desire: for Nikki to love him more than anyone else in the world. He breaks the enchanted stick, and almost instantly, Nikki appears, her affections for him boundless and without inhibition. Bear’s simple wish rapidly manifests into an inescapable reality.
This setup swiftly transforms from a charming romantic comedy into a truly deranged and disturbing inversion of a feel-good story. The classic “monkey’s paw” trope drives the narrative, as Bear’s longed-for attention from Nikki escalates into a calamitous, uncontrollable nightmare. The film relentlessly spirals from bad to worse, culminating in a devastating finale reminiscent of a Stephen King novel crossed with a Shakespearean tragedy. Barker’s audacious vision pushes boundaries, evoking the shocking creativity seen in recent horror standouts like “It’s What’s Inside” or “Barbarian.”
“Obsession,” however, is a more focused and intimate horror experience. Its impact relies heavily on the compelling performances of Michael Johnston and, particularly, Inde Navarrette, whose portrayal was a personal highlight of this year’s Fantastic Fest. Johnston perfectly embodies the quiet, timid “nice guy” destined to be walked all over, while Navarrette shines as Nikki. She transforms from an innocent girl-next-door into a chilling, glitching caricature, like a Nicholas Sparks heroine trapped in an uncanny valley. One moment, she’s the devoted fantasy wife, inseparable from Bear; the next, she’s a terrifying sleep paralysis demon, slithering with unnatural movements to watch him from the darkest corners of their bedroom. Navarrette’s seamless transition between these states, akin to fragmented personalities, is unnervingly brilliant. Her performance also masterfully blends humor with horror, whether she’s comically scream-crying like a frustrated sitcom spouse or unleashing terrifying fits of rage to command Bear’s attention.
One minute, Nikki’s a fantasy housewife, glued to Bear’s side; the other, she’s a sleep paralysis demon.
“Obsession” also provides a brilliant external commentary on toxic relationships through the eyes of Cooper Tomlinson’s Ian and Megan Lawless’ Sarah. As Bear and Nikki’s colleagues and friends, they witness the disturbing transformation of the couple from an instant fairy-tale romance into something deeply unsettling. While Bear is blind to the issues, reveling in Nikki’s unwavering adoration, Ian and Sarah keenly observe the unhealthy codependency and Nikki’s alarming loss of individual identity, becoming merely an extension of Bear. Barker’s film, while aiming to shock and repulse, powerfully satirizes one-sided partnerships, delivering a potent message about the blurred lines between love and lust, and how unchecked desperation can twist individuals into monstrous, jealous beings.
Beyond its character-driven tension, “Obsession” also delivers genuine horror. Though it builds with conversational suspense and standout performances, the film’s darker, more brutal aspects emerge with chilling force. Beginning with unsettling gestures, like Nikki crafting a bizarre kitchen memorial for Bear’s deceased pet, the narrative escalates into a relentless, high-pressure climax. Bear finds himself a horrified bystander, paralyzed as his misguided wish unravels and devastates countless lives. Affection turns to aggression, intimacy becomes imprisonment, and Bear is forced to confront the grim truth: his own selfishness is the catalyst for the ensuing pandemonium. It’s a profoundly dark cautionary tale, yet one delivered with captivating entertainment and impactful storytelling.