Directed and written by: Curry Barker
Starring: Inde Navarrette, Michael Johnston, Cooper Tomlinson, Megan Lawless, and Andy Richter
Runtime: 108 minutes
‘Obsession’: It is quite easy to become fixated on Barker’s frightening horror film and Navarrette’s remarkable performance
Have you ever had a crush on someone who did not reciprocate those feelings?
Welcome to Bear’s (Michael Johnston) world.
Bear is in love with his long-time friend and musical instrument store co-worker, Nikki (Inde Navarrette), and seems forever stuck in the friend zone until he makes a wish for her to love him more than anyone else.
Guess what? His wish comes true.
Unfortunately, Nikki doesn’t just suddenly adore Bear; she’s beyond infatuated with him in director/writer Curry Barker’s creepy, insidious love story.
Welcome to Bear’s nightmare!
Nikki is obsessed.
It’s unBearable.
UnBearable for our lead, the movie audience, and Nikki herself.
“Obsession” is a terrifying 108-minute experience that centers on Nikki’s sudden transformation from an easy-going, pragmatic pal to a relentless, unreasonable romantic partner.
Since Bear, or no one else on the planet, can return Nikki’s fanatical feelings, she wraps herself in her disappointment and insecurity and then lashes out with unpredictable behaviors. Many times, her means of displeasure and neediness are downright psychotic, but Nikki suffers, along with Bear, her out-of-the-blue boyfriend.
Johnston is nicely cast as Bear. This character is an awkward early 20-something. Bear is a stereotypical nice guy who carries a boyish fashion sense, seems constantly unsure of himself, and is always tongue-tied when speaking about his feelings to Nikki. On the other hand, Bear has no problem professing his love for her to his best bud, Ian (Cooper Tomlinson), or even a random waitress at a local diner.
In fact, Nikki gives Bear a golden opportunity to express his true feelings, but he folds like a cheap suit in the same manner as Miles (Paul Giamatti) in Alexander Payne’s “Sideways” (2004). If you’ve seen Payne’s movie, you know the scene.
Navarrette’s Nikki stands 5’0”. She’s pretty with long black hair. She’s carefree, cool, and a girl-next-door type, but Bear has had a crush on Nikki for so long, that taking the next step seems simply impossible, like jumping to the moon, or lassoing it like George Bailey (Jimmy Stewart) in Frank Capra’s “It’s a Wonderful Life” (1946).
So much so, Bear’s turning to a wish is such a silly, nonsensical afterthought, until it actually works, and Bear soon rues the moment that changed his and Nikki’s lives.
Although Bear and Nikki’s tale was filmed in Los Angeles, “Obsession” feels like a small-town setting. The music store, Nikki’s and Bear’s homes, and a local pub look like they could be set anywhere in the U.S., Canada, or even Haddonfield, Ill.
Barker and cinematographer Taylor Clemons frequently film at night, and they often play with shadows inside Bear’s home, where the new couple has settled down. In one scene, darkness covers Nikki’s facial features while she stands as a motionless silhouette, and the maddening tension can make the bravest of horror movie aficionados hold their breath and struggle - with demented curiosity - in wanting to peer into her unexpected façade or simply wish that she’d go away.
The nine-person sound team always seems to remain right there with the audience, as they engineer champion resonances at just the right times that lead to alarming jump scares, especially when paired with Navarrette’s absolutely remarkable performance. One would think that Inde grew up playing the final girl in horror movies for years, but that’s not the case.
In a September 2025 Toronto International Film Festival Midnight Madness screening, Navarrette said, “I was really intimidated at first (with the script), because I’ve never done horror before. (It) was my first time, and I didn’t know how to scream.”
Haddonfield was mentioned earlier – in this review - as a “Halloween” (1978) location reference, but Inde’s Nikki is the complete opposite of Michael Myers, a stoic, unfeeling killing machine. Nikki is seized by this supernatural ask, and she embodies an unyielding desire for Bear. Sexual attraction is a portion of the allure, but her outrageous draw to Bear is consumed by possession or figurative consumption. When Bear returns her affections, Nikki is relaxed and comfortable. However, any other mood emitted from Bear means absolute rejection, and Nikki’s madness – that takes many forms – runs amok, as Barker’s camera relies on Inde’s extraordinary ability (and her previously empty horror resume) to conjure an emotional blender of despair, agony, and jealousy.
Bravo, Inde!
“Obsession” is an unsettling psychological horror film that dives headfirst into a malfunctioning relationship, one instantly forged by an artificial foundation. Barker’s movie isn’t a gorefest, but it isn’t afraid to get bloody and grisly at times. Conversely, our director/writer works at an easy pace and openly welcomes composer Rock Burwell’s moody score, as both cinematic elements ruminate with lots of personal screentime between Bear and Nikki. The film and their relationship lurk with tension and dread.
Thankfully, Barker grants the audience some reprieves with unexpected – and needed – humor at times (and some instances of hope), and these moments are certainly welcomed reliefs over the movie’s looming haze of the message: Be careful what you wish for.
Jeff’s ranking
3.5 / 4 stars
