After all of the talk, buzz and hype, I had finally had the time to sit down and watch “Obsession.” Going into it, I had only a brief bit of what to expect: a horror story about a man taking away a woman’s autonomy. What I didn’t expect was just how well it would hit that nail on the head. In fact, the film did its job so well, that I truly don’t know if I’ll be able to watch it again.
Growing up, I was raised in a very loving household by two parents who give each other nothing but love, grace and mutual respect. I was of course led to wrongfully believe that any relationship would be like that. Surely no relationship between two consenting people could be bad, right? Well, as luck would have it, I would find out the hard way in high school just how wrong I was.
My girlfriend at the time was an old childhood friend, someone who I felt I could trust. As time went on, I felt more and more like I wasn’t myself or my own person. I was made to feel like I had to love her and that no one else was allowed in my life. Only her. I couldn’t choose who to talk to or what to do on my weekends, let alone what movies we watched. Upon spending time together every weekend, my phone would be taken and we’d be locked away, alone together to sit in darkness and do nothing but watch TV. I was forced into seeming obsessed when I didn’t want to be. I was the Nikki to her Bear.
I don’t know how he did it, but Curry Barker perfectly captured what it’s like to be the victim in an abusive relationship. It strips everything away from you and for most of us, it’s a long journey back, sometimes never reaching the destination. He showed that in a truly visceral way that I’ve never seen in a movie before. As someone who watches and reads plenty of horror, it takes something truly impactful to frighten me. This movie did exactly that.
Barker somehow managed to make things terrifying without demonizing the victim, something I feel like anyone else would’ve done with this material. Yet, the subject matter is handled perfectly, making sure we’re reminded throughout that the protagonist isn’t always the good guy. It reflects how, in life, any true villain will see themselves as the hero or not doing any wrong. Yet sometimes they do realize the impact of their actions and by then, it can be too late.
As for Nikki, well, let this movie be a lesson that it can be any one of us. Anyone can fall into the trap that I and so many others have, just like how anyone can be the monster. According to Break the Cycle, roughly 1 in 2 women and 2 in 5 men in the US alone report having experienced various forms of relationship abuse at least once in their lifetime. That’s 32 people per minute. Keep an eye on your colleagues and loved ones, as you never know what they might be going through.
If you’re ever in a domestic abuse situation, call The Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 or chat with them online
Check out Chris’ review of the movie HERE.
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What are your thoughts on “Obsession”? Do you feel the subject matter was handled well? Let’s discuss in the comments below.
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