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.
Chuck says:
I’m going to assume Bear, the protagonist in Curry Barker’s brilliant horror film “Obsession” was absent the day “The Monkey’s Paw” was read in his Language Arts class. W. W. Jacobs’ seminal cautionary tale drives home again and again that if you happen to have a wish-granting talisman, you must be very specific when stating your heart’s desire. Word choice counts and those that ignore this, do so at their own peril.
Alas, it is a lesson that comes too late for Bear in this disturbing tale of relationship claustrophobia. Barker’s second feature serves as a horrific metaphor for addiction and mental illness, the director tightening his grip on the audience as he forces them to witness one poor woman’s descent into madness. Anchored by an exceptional performance from newcomer Inde Navarrette, the movie utilizes the limitations dictated by its modest budget to wonderful effect. Its narrow narrative and visual scope underscore the physical and emotional confines Bear is forced to contend with as well as the story’s intimate nature.
Like so many young men in love, Bear (Micheal Johnston) is uncertain as to how to express his feelings towards Nikki (Navarette). Co-workers and confidants, he finds himself in an age-old dilemma. Relegated to the “friend zone,” Bear’s afraid that were he to tell Nikki he loves her, their friendship would suffer and she would rebuff him. Getting no help from his goofball buddy Ian (Cooper Tomlinson) and oblivious to the interest his other co-worker Sarah (Megan Lawless) is showing him, Bear is twisting himself into knots, his uncertainty keeping him up nights.
However, while in a New Age wellness shop, he comes across what he assumes to be a novelty item. Called “One Wish Willow,” the harmonica-sized box contains a piece of braided wood that, when broken, grants whatever wish is stated as it’s snapped in two. Purchased on a whim and intended to be a gag gift for Nikki, Bear in jest wishes that she will love him more than anyone in the world. It soon becomes apparent there’s more to this item than meets the eye, as Nikki’s behavior undergoes an immediate and rapid change that quickly proves disturbing.
As Nikki becomes more clingy, Barker exacerbates his already cramped aesthetic. Using a narrow 1:78:1 aspect ratio, the director establishes a sense of confinement for Bear that becomes tighter as the film progresses. Nearly every scene takes place in an interior setting while Taylor Clemmons cinematography seems to be composed of varying levels of gloom. Shadows and low-key lighting suffuse each scene, with Barker employing tighter and tighter shots on his doomed protagonist as Nikki’s sanity slips away and her actions become more violent. Johnston drives this home effectively, his posture becoming progressively withdrawn. You’ll be anxious to get into the sunlight as soon as the credits begin to roll.
Barker uses humor effectively throughout, keeping the audience off guard as his frequently macabrely funny scenes are followed immediately by a shocking moment. Nikki’s outlandish behavior is met with reactions of disbelief from her friends and co-workers that mirror our own sense of astonishment. A party she crashes goes from funny, to cringy, to horrific in a moment’s notice, while her efforts throughout to keep Bear close to her are equally amusing and disturbing. The capper though is Bear’s phone call to the “One Wish Willow” customer service line, which results in an increasingly comedic scene revolving around Gen Z indifference.
It’s a shame that like Toni Collette’s performance in “Hereditary” and Florence Pugh’s in “Midsommer,” Navarette’s work here will likely be overlooked come awards season. Fully committed to her role, like watching the above-mentioned actresses, you can’t help but become concerned with the performer’s well-being. Navarette gives a full-throttle effort, transforming before our eyes from a pleasant young woman to a monster of need, compelled by a mania she doesn’t understand. That she’s able to convey the initial humor of Nikki’s situation as well as a degree of sympathy for her throughout is impressive.
In a film year with an already seemingly inordinate number of horror films, “Obsession” rises to the top. Though shot on a $1 million budget, this is an expertly crafted film, one that takes a common party conversation topic and turns it into a relatable nightmare. Clever and compelling from beginning to end, Barker immediately serves notice he’s a director to watch, “Obsession” earning the oft over and misused phrase of praise “instant classic.”
4 Stars
