Obsession Review: Love, Loneliness, and the Horror of Getting What You Want.
Obsession, written and directed by Curry Barker in his feature film debut, has quickly become one of the most talked-about horror movies of the year. Released on May 15 by Focus Features, the film follows Bear (Michael Johnston), who uses the mysterious "One Wish Willow" to make his friend and coworker Nikki Freeman (Inde Navarrette) fall in love with him.
I've been watching Curry and Cooper's comedy skits for years through their That's A Bad Idea channels, so the moment I heard they were making a feature film, my excitement went through the roof.
I'm always excited to see talented creators get opportunities like this, and 2026 has been a huge year for that. Earlier this year, we got Iron Lung from Markiplier, and around the same time as Obsession, we saw the release of Backrooms from Kane Parsons, another project I've been eagerly anticipating.
Seeing creators who built audiences online successfully make the jump to filmmaking is genuinely exciting, and Obsession felt like one of the year's most interesting examples of that transition. With all of that anticipation behind it, the good news is that Obsession isn't just an impressive debut. It's a genuinely entertaining horror film that has plenty to say beneath its supernatural premise.
Baron "Bear" Bailey initially comes across as the stereotypical nice guy. He's shy, awkward, and seemingly well-intentioned, wanting to confess his feelings without risking the friendship he shares with Nikki and the rest of their group. However, as the story unfolds, Bear reveals a much darker side of himself. Like many self-proclaimed nice guys, his kindness begins to crack when faced with rejection and insecurity, exposing the selfish desires lurking beneath the surface.
I'd love to dive deeper into the story, but doing so would mean venturing into spoiler territory. For now, I'll simply say that Obsession is a film about insecurity, loneliness, and control. It explores how unchecked feelings of isolation can distort a person's perception of love, while raising uncomfortable questions about autonomy and what happens when someone's free will is taken away.
Outside of the story itself, we have to talk about Inde Navarrette's performance as Nikki. It's rare for a horror movie to genuinely unsettle me. Most horror films lean so heavily into the supernatural that I'm able to separate what I'm seeing from reality. Obsession was different. Navarrette delivers a deeply disturbing performance that had me uncomfortable throughout several scenes. Whether it was the shifts in her voice, the way she emerged from the shadows, or the increasingly tragic situations Nikki finds herself in as a result of Bear's selfish actions, she consistently brought an unsettling energy to the screen.
The rest of the cast also does a solid job with their respective roles. Michael Johnston, in particular, does well in balancing Bear's awkward charm with the uglier aspects of his personality as they begin to surface. That said, one area where I felt the film fell short was in its characterization. While the cast is strong, many of the characters feel somewhat paper-thin outside of the roles they play in the central narrative. I found myself wanting a deeper look into who these people were beyond the plot itself. More interiority would have gone a long way toward making their relationships feel richer and their struggles more emotionally impactful.
For a feature film debut, Obsession is an impressive effort from Curry Barker. While there are certainly areas that could have benefited from more development, particularly when it comes to character depth, the film succeeds far more often than it stumbles. The script isn't perfect, but it does a solid job of balancing horror, dark comedy, and psychological tension while tackling some surprisingly heavy themes.
What impressed me most is how willing the film is to sit with uncomfortable ideas. Beneath the blood, laughs, and supernatural chaos is a story that has something meaningful to say about loneliness, entitlement, and the dangerous ways people can distort love into possession. It's the kind of horror film that leaves you thinking long after the credits roll.
Most importantly, Obsession is an experience. This is the type of movie that benefits from being seen with an audience. The gasps, nervous laughter, shocked reactions, and uncomfortable silences become part of the viewing experience. If you're a fan of horror, dark comedy, or simply enjoy seeing ambitious filmmakers take big swings, I highly recommend checking it out in theaters.
Obsession may not be a flawless debut, but it's a memorable one. More than anything, it left me excited to see what Curry Barker does next. Until then, do yourself a favor and experience Obsession on the biggest screen possible.
