OBSESSION. Stephen King once wrote that many of his best stories started with a “What if?” What if vampires invaded a small New England village? What if a bullied high school girl turned out to have supernatural powers? What if the person you love suddenly loves you back, and that turns out to be the worst thing that could possibly happen?
That last “what if” is the premise of Obsession, directed by Curry Barker. Bear, played by Michael Johnson, has an all-consuming crush on his friend and coworker Nikki (Inde Navarrette). But he can’t summon the courage or vulnerability to tell her how he feels, even after being asked point blank. In a moment of wistful desperation, he makes a wish using what he assumes is a gag gift purchased from a head shop.
“I wish that Nikki loved me more than anyone in the entire world,” he moans like a heartsick tween. Oof. Wording is everything, my dude.
It’s a tribute to Barker’s talent that what follows in this monkey’s paw tale manages to both reference and transcend a host of problematic tropes. When we first meet Bear, for example, we witness him having a human moment over the loss of a pet. In different hands, his sobs could be played as pathetic, embodying the emasculated “nice guy” that never gets the girl. But when he sucks it up so he can talk to Nikki on the phone, we are invited to see how his unwillingness to be vulnerable is working against him. He’s both pretending to be something he’s not and — despite believing himself to be in love with her — not truly seeing her as a full person with an inner life of her own.
This latter issue becomes apparent when he inadvertently turns Nikki into what is, essentially, a love golem. Before the wish takes effect, we get a sense of why she would be easy to fall for. She’s fun and funny, and smart, creative and kind. These qualities are all subsumed by her magically induced infatuation with Bear. Her only goal becomes to make him happy, to let him know that she loves, loves, loves him. Sadly familiar stuff to any of us who have ever known (or been) a teenage girl, but correspondingly terrifying to any of us who have ever known (or been) a teenage girl. God, is that desire to love and be loved powerful. Here, too, we get a glimpse of the lazy trope Barker could have leaned on: the wild-eyed “crazy” woman, the bunny-boiler. But Navarrette’s facial elasticity and sheer physicality — lots of scuttling, shadow work and breaking glass — sells the idea of love as a kind of demonic possession. Obligatory trigger warning for folks who don’t want to see gore, bodily functions or mediocre sex.
Obsession is almost two hours long and not a single scene feels wasted. The plot bustles, the action pops, every supporting character feels both necessary and real. There’s no investment in worldbuilding or lore around the supernatural elements of the curse, which would have been a distraction. Instead, you are invited to follow the concept at the core of this horror film to its logical extreme. You should see it. Not recommended for first dates. R. 108M. MINOR.
Linda Stansberry (she/her) is a freelance writer and journalist who lives in Eureka. Read more of her work at lindastansberry.com.
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For showtimes, visit catheaters.com and minortheatre.com.
This article appears in Miranda’s Rescue Under Scrutiny, Part 2.
