Want a clever, scary movie? Your wish is this pic’s command
Imagine the beloved Tom Hanks film Big crossed with an evil-possession movie like last year’s hit Weapons, and you’ll have a decent idea of what Obsession is about. Unhinged, but in a fun way, Obsession made a splash at both the Toronto Film Festival last year, where it was first runner-up in the People’s Choice Midnight Madness category, and at this year’s SXSW, where it was nominated for the Festival Favorite Audience Award. That the film garnered such crowd-pleasing accolades is understandable. This is a picture tailor made to watch with an audience ready for jump scares and “ewwww!” moments. Up until its somewhat predictable and weak ending, Obsession is clever and engaging, and actually features some surprisingly high-quality performances, considering its low-budget, horror movie status.
The movie’s Big comparison stems from the fact that the story’s inciting action is a wish made by our lovesick but shy protagonist, Bear (Michael Johnston). Instead of using an animatronic fortune teller to make his wish like Big’s Josh, however, Bear wishes on a toy called a One Wish Willow, purchased from a curio shop. The Willow’s instructions are simple: make a wish, break the willow, and your wish comes true. Bear, who has zero game, wishes for his current friend and longtime crush Nikki (Inde Navarrette) to love him madly. When, to Bear’s disbelief, his wish immediately comes true, he gets more than he bargained for, as the film’s title hints at not so subtly.
How Nikki’s newfound devotion to Bear plays out makes up the crux of the film, and plenty of unexpected, jump-out-of-your seat and cover-your-eyes moments keep you fully immersed in the story. Beyond scary and creepy, the film is fairly gory, so those who prefer their horror movies more psychologically than overtly frightening have been warned.
Written and directed by YouTube comedian Curry Barker, the film is also not without flashes of laugh-out-loud humor, which, similar to Weapons, helps balance the terror and unease. Strong performances from the cast help the proceedings as well. Cooper Tomlinson and Megan Lawless, as Bear and Nikki’s friends and co-workers at a music store owned by Carter (Andy Richter, the film’s only somewhat major name) all get opportunities to showcase their acting chops. But the pairing of Johnston and Navarrette anchors the picture. Johnston lets us viscerally feel Bear’s overwhelming despair, angst, and regret, and Navarrette, especially, does wonders with her role. She veers from manic and deranged to calm and rational in the span of seconds, and that we believe both personas are legit make Nikki’s transformations all the more chilling.
Barker deftly and fully absorbs us in Bear’s dilemma about how to resolve Nikki’s psychotic obsession with him (the details of which I won’t spoil here). But the film’s ending feels a bit too pat, as if Barker couldn’t think of a way to wrap up his story, so just chose the quickest and easiest route. Up until those final minutes, though, Barker holds us rapt, and anyone who appreciates imaginative storytelling with brilliant shock value will revel in what Barker has created here.
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Obsession is currently playing, including at the AMC Metreon, AMC Kabuki, Apple Van Ness, Regal Stonestown, and the Alamo Drafthouse in San Francisco, the AMC Bay Street in Emeryville, the Landmark Piedmont and Regal Jack London in Oakland, and the Cinemark Century theaters in Walnut Creek and Pleasant Hill.
