Obsession (2026) Focus/Horror RT: 108 minutes Rated R (strong bloody violence, grisly images, sexual content, pervasive language, brief graphic nudity) Director: Curry Barker Screenplay: Curry Baker Music: Rock Burwell Cinematography: Taylor Clemons Release date: May 15, 2026 (US) Cast: Michael Johnston, Inde Navarrette, Cooper Tomlinson, Megan Lawless, Andy Richter, Haley Fitzgerald, Darin Toonder, Anthony Pavone, Justice, Anthony Casabianca, Chloe Breen.
Rating: *** ½
You know, in a very perverse kind of way, it could be argued that Obsession is a rom-com disguised as a supernatural horror-thriller. The basic scenario of a guy resorting to some kind of hocus pocus to win the girl of his dreams could very well have been a fluffy Nora Ephron piece in the 90s. Writer-director Curry Barker (no relation to Clive) takes it in a completely different direction, a dark and disturbing one with an unsettling sense of humor. Be warned, it’s NOT for the weak of heart or stomach.
Baron (Johnston, Teen Wolf), “Bear” to his friends, is in love with his friend and co-worker Nikki (Navarrette, Superman & Lois). He wants to tell her. His best friend Ian (Tomlinson) tells him he’s better off staying in the friend zone where Nikki put him. If he confesses his feelings to her, it’ll just make things weird for their little group which also includes Sarah (Lawless, The Hate U Give) who likes Bear. But the heart wants what the heart wants. Bear has to put it out there no matter what the cost.
The trouble begins with a wish made on a magical object called a “One Wish Willow”. Bear picks it up at a novelty shop. All you have to do is break it in half and make your wish. That’s what Bear does after an awkward attempt to tell Nikki how he really feels about her. He wishes for her to “love him more than anything in the world”. Now what is it they say about being careful what you wish for?
Right after Bear makes his wish, Nikki instantly transforms from an intelligent, independent-minded young woman to…… something else. It’s almost like she’s possessed. She’s definitely not who she was before the wish. Nikki instantly falls head over heels in love with Bear, but it’s not a healthy kind of love. She starts acting differently. Her behavior becomes erratic. She loses all autonomy. She walks around with an empty look in her eyes and a malevolent smile on her face. Occasionally, she’ll start screaming for no reason. Then she becomes violent, committing acts of violence against herself and others. It scares Bear, but he chooses to stay the course, always making excuses for her.
Because we’re not talking about a lighthearted Ephron romp here, it will NOT end well for these star-crossed lovers. Barker, a comedian best known for being one half of the “that’s a bad idea” comedy duo with Tomlinson, goes all in with Obsession. In only his second feature film, the filmmaker seems destined to join the exclusive “Masters of Horror” club alongside John Carpenter, Wes Craven and Zach Cregger. His third film Anything but Ghosts is in post-production and he’s next slated to deliver a reimagining (NOT a remake!) of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre. I’m anxious to see what he has in store for us. He doesn’t shy away from showing us the ugly side of love, one defined by malignant selfishness and unhealthy infatuation. The discomfort you feel is completely intentional.
The only time Barker shows anything resembling restraint is this one super-gory scene that almost earned Obsession the dreaded NC-17 rating. He had to trim a few seconds to get an R. It’s still pretty graphic though. It’s not the most disturbing thing in the movie however. That would be the nasty business involving Bear’s deceased pet cat. Early on, he comes home to find him dead after accidentally ingesting oxycodone. That’s bad enough. Then Nikki enters the picture. The ultimate fate of the feline is something that will turn a lot of stomachs. It may even cause a few to consider vegetarianism.
This is my first time seeing Inde Navarrette in anything. I can’t speak to her other work in TV and film, but based on her perfectly calibrated performance in Obsession, I am confident in saying a star is born. She absolutely knocks it out of the park as the crazy, obsessed Nikki. Like her director, she’s all in. She deftly balances her manic outbursts with brief moments of clarity revealing that what’s going on with her is more insidious than a mere crush that’s gotten out of hand. It’s a tricky act that would trip up most young actresses, but Inde nails it. Bold and bonkers in equal measures, it’s the best performance of its type since Isabelle Adjani in Possession (1981).
Johnston likewise does a great job as Bear, a typical nice guy-type who really isn’t so nice after all. He slowly reveals his true selfish nature by letting things with Nikki go as far as they do. It’s bad enough he used a cheat code to get her to love him like he loves her, but it’s made worse by his failure to act after he learns the truth about what’s really happening with Nikki. Through the bad choices he makes throughout, Bear’s fate is far from a happily ever after.
Obsession moves to a rhythm entirely its own. It’s a wild ride from start to finish. It’s shocking, brutal and darkly funny in how it speaks to unhealthy relationships and the side effects that affect all those in close social proximity. It’s difficult to watch at times, but it’s in the moments that make you look away that force you to look closer. I know, it makes as much sense as anything involving love. Isn’t that precisely the point?
