OBSESSION: Victims, Villains, and Vulnerability

*This article contains spoilers for the Curry Barker film OBSESSION*

Horror has always been the perfect playground for movies about bad relationships. From malicious friends to meddling family members, we can all relate to this at some point in our lives.

But the award for the most toxic human relationships has to go to those where love is involved, with countless films dedicated to the awful things people do to those they supposedly care about.

That being said, many a film about love gone wrong is void of any real substance. The villains are clear-cut stereotypes: verbally or mentally abusive puppy kickers who treat everyone around them like garbage. They’re instantly recognisable as the big bad, and it’s all but screamed at us that we need to hate them.

Sometimes, though, as life will teach us, a villain isn’t always that easy to spot. The evil simmers insidiously, just beneath the surface, hidden even from the person who harbours it. This is where real danger lives.

Curry Barker’s OBSESSION pulls us into this danger zone with his leading man, Baron ‘Bear’ Bailey (played by Michael Johnston). Bear is a nice guy, for all intents and purposes, who just can’t seem to work up the nerve to tell Nikki Freeman (played by Inde Navarrette) how he feels about her.

Bear’s fear of vulnerability takes centre stage early in the film, which provides a huge clue into his true nature. For Bear, the fear of putting himself out there and possibly being rejected is overwhelming. Even when the opportunity to tell Nikki how he feels is served up on a silver platter, he can’t bring himself to do it. Instead, he panics, and we infuriatingly watch as he tells her they’re just friends. 

The next few scenes show him wrestling with the pressure of vulnerability, and it’s easy to feel for the guy. Putting yourself out there is one of the most terrifying things a person can do, but at some point, you have to ask yourself: ‘If not now, when?’

The fact that it’s entirely possible Nikki has feelings for him. The film never confirms this for sure, but there are definite clues suggesting it’s true. She confides in him that she can’t talk to anyone else about certain things, and her statement that if she’s interested in a guy, nobody will know, are strong hints that Nikki could have romantic feelings for him. Maybe it’s her way of testing the waters before finally asking him outright.

But instead of answering her question truthfully, Bear tries his luck with magic. He breaks the One Wish Willow and takes his first step over the line from Nice Guy to Villain.

Does he do it maliciously? Probably not, but he’s definitely making the decision out of selfishness. He sees himself as the victim of unrequited love. A love he deserves without putting any effort towards it.

Once the wish takes hold, the mental gymnastics Bear has to do to justify Wish Nikki’s increasingly disturbing behaviour is next level. Honestly, if you’re not going to consider your partner making a shrine out of your dead cat a red flag, then I’m not really sure there’s much hope for you. But even when things ramp up to 11, Bear still refuses to admit he’s done something wrong. 

Bear fails Nikki over and over; his nice-guy persona slowly peeling back to reveal his egocentric entitlement. He wants the girl, but doesn’t want to put himself out there to get her. He wants the relationship, but doesn’t want to do any of the work to get it. Even once he gets exactly what he wishes for, he never takes Nikki’s situation into consideration.

When Real Nikki begs Bear to kill her, not only does he refuse her request, but he also asks her why being with him is so bad. He’s completely unable to look beyond himself and empathise with what Real Nikki might be going through.

In the film’s final scenes, Nikki’s victimisation and Bear’s villainy come to a tragic end. Bear avoids all responsibility for his actions, leaving Real Nikki to shoulder the consequences of his selfish choices.

Director Curry Barker has said that leaving Nikki alive was never the intended ending for the film, but in my mind, this choice emphasises the horror victims face in real life. They’re the ones left to pick up the pieces and bear the weight of healing after the trauma, although for Nikki, this is probably going to include some serious jail time. 

OBSESSION is a fantastic film that warrants a lot more conversation than my mediocre look at it here. It’s a film with a lot to say, and there are so many different viewpoints that a person would need to write several essays to cover them all.

I love films that make you think, and OBSESSION does exactly that. You’re not going to come out of it feeling like sunshine and lollipops, but it’s deserving of the recognition that’s being thrown at it. Horror has just raised the bar yet again, and I’m so excited to see what comes next.

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