There’s a dangerous little idea at the center of Obsession: what if you could actually have the thing you thought you wanted most? Not a version of it. Not a compromise. The full, terrifying package. Turns out, that idea could be less romantic comedy and more “sleep with one eye open.”
Written and directed by relative newcomer Curry Barker, Obsession takes a premise that sounds almost playfully familiar—a magical wish gone wrong—and twists it into something surprisingly sharp, funny, uncomfortable, and emotionally messy in all the best ways. It’s part supernatural horror, part relationship nightmare, and part cautionary tale for anyone who’s ever confused longing with destiny.
The setup hooks you immediately. Bear (Michael Johnston) has spent years hopelessly crushing on his best friend Nikki (Inde Navarrette), but he can’t bring himself to actually say the words out loud. In a moment of desperation—and honestly, spectacularly bad judgment—he buys a novelty item called a “One Wish Willow” from a crystal shop and wishes that Nikki “loved him more than anyone in the fucking world.”
Buddy… no!
At first, Barker plays the concept with a sly grin. We’ve all joked about wanting someone to magically fall in love with us. But Obsession asks the uncomfortable follow-up question: what if that stopped being love altogether? What if affection became possession? At what point does romance curdle into something frightening?
And that right there is where the movie gets its claws in.
Bear is fascinating because he isn’t some innocent saint caught in supernatural chaos. Johnston plays him as awkward and sympathetic, sure, but also selfish enough to ignore the warning signs because, for once, his fantasy is becoming real. Bear knows there’s something deeply wrong happening to Nikki, but part of him keeps trying to rationalize it. Human beings are amazing at ignoring giant red flags when those flags are telling us we’re special.
Johnston nails that internal tug-of-war. You feel for him even when you want to scream at him. It’s the cinematic equivalent of watching your friend text their ex for the seventeenth time and thinking, “This is going to end horribly, but I understand why you’re doing it.”
But the movie truly belongs to Navarrette. Her performance as Nikki is phenomenal. The transition from warm and vulnerable to deeply unsettling is handled with frightening precision. One second she’s sweet and affectionate, the next, she’s emotionally radioactive. Navarrette flips that switch so naturally it becomes impossible to predict where a scene is headed. It’s one of those horror performances that sneaks up on you because it’s grounded in recognizable emotion before spiraling into pure terror. Honestly? It may wind up being one of the year’s best genre performances.
The supporting cast helps anchor the madness, too. Cooper Tomlinson and Megan Lawless, as skeptical friends Ian and Sarah, serve as the audience’s collective “uhhh, something isn't right here” alarm system. Their reactions keep the movie connected to reality even as things spiral further into emotional chaos.
Visually, Barker and cinematographer Taylor Clemmons give the film a grimy, grainy identity. The shadows, negative space, and strange compositions constantly create the sense that something is emotionally off-balance before the characters even realize it. Sure, there are a few loud jump scares tossed in for fun, but thankfully the movie doesn’t lean on them too much. The real horror comes from watching someone slowly lose themselves inside the fantasy of being loved.
And that’s what makes Obsession stick with you.
Underneath the supernatural setup and monkey’s-paw inspiration — yes, Barker openly channels that classic "The Simpsons" cursed-wish energy—the film becomes a surprisingly impactful exploration of fixation itself. Barker doesn’t hand audiences easy answers or moralize. He simply presents this escalating nightmare and lets us wrestle with it.
Because love without reciprocation isn’t really love at all. Sometimes it’s “ownership” wearing a Valentine’s Day mask. And Obsession understands that better than most horror films dare to.
MPAA Rating: R.
Runtime: 108 mins
Director: Curry Barker
Writer: Curry Barker
Cast: Michael Johnston; Inde Navarrette; Cooper Tomlinson
Genre: Horror | Thriller
Tagline: Be Careful Who You Wish For...
Memorable Movie Quote: "I wish Nikki loved me more than anyone in the world."
Distributor: Focus Features
Official Site:
Release Date: May 15, 2026
DVD/Blu-ray Release Date:
Synopsis: After breaking the mysterious "One Wish Willow" to win his crush's heart, a hopeless romantic finds himself getting exactly what he asked for but soon discovers that some desires come at a dark, sinister price.
