MOVIE REVIEW: OBSESSION

 

After breaking the mysterious "One Wish Willow" to win his crush's heart, a hopeless romantic gets exactly what he asked for. However, he soon discovers that some desires come at a dark and sinister price.

Director: Curry Barker

Cast: Michael Johnston, Inde Navarrette, Cooper Tomlinson, Megan Lawless, Andy Richter

Release Date: May 15, 2026

Genre: Horror, Thriller

Rated R for strong bloody violence, grisly images, sexual content, pervasive language, and brief graphic nudity.

Runtime: 1h 49m

Review:

Curry Barker’s big screen debut, Obsession, is impressive on multiple fronts as he delivers a horrific romantic comedy that’s devilishly funny, bloody and gross at the same time which is propelled by a star making turn from Inde Navarrette.  There’s an elegance to Barker’s film that’s immediately evident from the moment it begins, displaying a meticulous attention to visual detail.  He frames his characters in a very purposeful manner that conveys so much information without saying a word.  There’s little time wasted setting up the premise before the wish starts spiraling out of control with increasingly brutal extremes.  Michael Johnston perfectly captures the sad sack energy of someone pining for his lifelong crush who just can’t pull trigger while being entirely oblivious to other interested parties.  There’s a tangible sense of his total lack of self-confidence that seeps through the screen especially in the opening of the film as he awkwardly tries to finally make his move on Inde Navarrette’s Nikki.  The group of friends made up by Inde Navarrette, Cooper Tomlinson and Megan Lawless bring a natural sense of authenticity to the group that makes their relationships feel lived which helps when things start getting strange.  Navarrette’s performance is impressive from the start as she perfectly nails the cute girl who has obviously friendzone Johnston’s for years while leaving him a sliver of hope.  Once the wish takes hold, she unleashed an unhinged performance that’s impossible to look away from as the character becomes increasingly psychotic and violent.  It’s a fun balance of horror and comedy especially once the blood and viscera start flying with her doing the majority of the heavy lifting.  The Monkey's Paw conceit isn’t particularly new but there’s enough subtext woven into the script that offers up more depth to the story if choose to analyze it.  There are a few missteps here and there as Barker struggles to keep the energy up in the final act and the supporting players getting painfully little time to make an impression.  That being said, Obsession is a hell of a debut for Barker that makes you anxious to see what he has up his sleeve in the future.  

A-