Obsession - Love Hurts and Then Some

Obsession, written and directed by Curry Baker, emphasizes that unintended consequences lurk in every fulfilled desire. Yet this is not your typical horror film. Its basis is the unrequited love story in which the quintessential boy falls for a girl. A coming-of-age horror film, where Baker carves out a niche of his own. Far left of the horror genre and far right of the romantic comedy. But “smack dab” in the middle of something new and refreshing, reminiscent of such classic horror films as Carrie, Ginger Snaps, and Let the Right One In.

There is an old saying: " Be careful what you wish for, because you may just get it." Meaning the wisher has not completely thought out the wish and the unexpected adverse consequences that may arise from that wish that was granted. Obsession, written and directed by Curry Baker, emphasizes that unintended consequences lurk in every fulfilled desire. Yet this is not your typical horror film. Its basis is the unrequited love story in which the quintessential boy falls for a girl. A coming-of-age horror film, where Baker carves out a niche of his own. Far left of the horror genre and far right of the romantic comedy. But “smack dab” in the middle of something new and refreshing, reminiscent of such classic horror films as Carrie, Ginger Snaps, and Let the Right One In.

Michael Johnston plays Bear, the typical nice guy who is in love with Nikki (Inde Navarette) but too afraid to share his true feelings. Loving her from afar, he settles for a close friendship. Thinking he has blown his last chance to declare his love for her, he breaks the mystical “One Wish Willow” – wishing for Nikki to “love him more than anyone else in the entire world.”

Baker blends the genres of comedy and horror, combining the styles of Chasing Amy and Kissing Jessica Stein. As a result, the films display playful romance alongside intimate moments that reveal the characters' love. After watching a movie together, she is more infatuated with him than with the movie. Or they share a moment of laughter over something meaningless to others around them but certainly amusing to them.

Baker romances the audience into tragedy. No, this is no Love Actually, but it sets in motion the romance of the two main characters. Slowly moving the cinematic needle or pulling the audience’s grasping fingers back one by one, relinquishing their hold of the rope they are desperately trying to hold onto, avoiding the film’s inevitable plunge towards something less funny – a more dreadful, horrific train. A horror train with no escape. Knowing that, in the end, no one comes out alive or unscathed.

It is Fatal Attraction on steroids. Glen Close was mild in comparison to newcomer Inde Navarrette as Nikki, the “bat shit crazy” girlfriend who cannot live without her boyfriend, Bear. She plays the role of a woman consumed by love. She needs his love and affection as much as she needs to eat and drink. Like a pet who waits for its owner by the door to return home, Nikki does not move until her owner returns. Bear becomes her lifeline. Like air, she needs to remain connected with him to survive.

Navarrette (known for her role as Sara Cushing in Superman & Lois) fully commits to portraying a woman gripped by obsession. Her transition from a gentle, supportive friend to an unhinged, volatile girlfriend was competent but lacked depth. Her inexperience was evident. The laughter and yelling often felt unnatural. While the performance startled the audience with its sharp, high-pitched delivery, she sometimes struggled to maintain consistency.

Baker is unusual in his presentation. Because the film does not announce the horror genre in the general sense. It plays on romance – relationship connection with a bit of humor. It tells a familiar story. But the experience is very different. It takes an obsessed girlfriend and the crazy situations it may produce and turns up the volume to maximum. Making it funny, uncomfortable, and intriguing all at once, Obsession builds anticipation for Baker’s future projects and his continued establishment of a foothold in the horror genre. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gMC8kkwbIQQ