Cinematic Feels

It is cliché to say that many are currently obsessed with Curry Barker’s indie-budget film Obsession (2026).  In all honesty, the fixation this movie has gathered is well deserved. Despite the film’s genre being categorized as horror/romance, the overall takeaway from it is much more than just another “scary movie”.

The film introduces Bear Bailey (Michael Johnston), a young man who, the audience quickly gathers, is infatuated with a coworker, Nikki (Inde Navarrette). With the semi-encouragement from his friend, Ian (Cooper Tomlinson), Bear is determined to confess his feelings to her. However, when Bear finally has the opportunity to do so, he gets nervous and denies the feelings to Nikki when she asks. Frustrated that he chickened out, Bear desperately uses a “One Wish Willow” charm he originally got for Nikki earlier in the film. With the charm, Bear wishes that Nikki could love him “more than anyone in the fucking world”. Instantly, the wish comes true, and he appears to convince himself that all is well- until it isn't. Nikki’s adoration towards Bear quickly turns into a suffocating and terrifying obsession that strips her of her agency. With no way out of the predicament he put himself in, Bear is forced to face the horrific reality of what he has done.

I must admit that when I first heard of this film, I thought the sole focus was on Nikki’s toxicity. While there are definitely some insights into symptoms of toxic love by possessed Nikki, after watching the film, it is clear that Barker's intentions were to compose an exposé on the “nice guy” trope.

We see this trope in all forms of media, whether it be in novels or films. Sometimes, the “nice guy” gets the girl, as Cameron (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) does in 10 Things I Hate About You (1999). But other times, we see how the “nice guy” isn’t so nice. Rather, they are often deeply insecure men who are infatuated by the fantasy of a woman rather than the actual woman, like Tom (also Joseph Gordon-Levitt) is in 500 Days of Summer (2009).

Much like Tom, Bear appears to be obsessed with and entitled by how Nikki makes him feel instead of who she is. In the opening scene of Obsession, Bear rehearses his love confession; however, the reasons he lists for liking Nikki are rooted in his own loneliness. Moreover, throughout the film, there are multiple occurrences where Bear chooses himself and his feelings over Nikki, which speaks volumes about how he doesn’t actually like her but rather likes the idea of her.

In a way, I think deep down, he wants to be kind and confident like Nikki. Before Nikki is possessed, she appears to be the epitome of an unselfish person. For instance, outside of a bar, she gives a homeless guy $20 dollars and stops to have a small conversation with him. Additionally, despite having her own baggage, like being unhappy with her job or estranged from her father, Nikki still offers her emotional support to her friends.

Bear, on the other hand, is selfish throughout the whole film. One scene that altered my view of the film occurs early on, when he comes home to find his cat has died. After he cleaned up the mess from the cat’s death, he is shown crying. Trust me, if I came home to my pet dead, I would cry too, except the emotional breakdown doesn’t appear to be over his cat, but centered on Nikki. This, for me, is confirmed soon after when Bear acknowledges that the death of his cat hasn’t “hit” him yet. To cry over unrequited love instead of the death of a cat is pretty selfish in my eyes, but it also emphasizes how obsessed with Nikki he is.  

Another important occurrence in the film that highlights Bear’s selfishness is shown in how he reacts to the wish coming true. It is quite obvious that Nikki is not okay right off the bat. She instantly becomes unhinged when he makes the wish, and he knows he is responsible for her odd behavior. Yet, instead of trying to save her, he enjoys the fantasy. It isn’t until Nikki begins becoming creepy and dangerous towards him that he attempts to find a way out. But even the way he goes about finding a solution is fueled by his self-interest and desire to have Nikki. So, he attempts to alter the wish rather than take it back. This is when it becomes crystal clear that the real Nikki is trapped and has been taken over.

Bear’s absolute selfishness reaches a breaking point later in the film when Nikki begs him to end her suffering. Instead of acknowledging the pain he has caused her, he coldly replies, “What’s so bad about being with me?” before walking away.

The rest of the film unravels into a chaotic nightmare. But, without giving too much away, it is safe to say that Obsession is a masterpiece that blends many different concepts to strip away the romanticized “nice guy” trope, exposing the toxicity underneath.