Obsession has become one of the most profitable movies of all time – and it’s an instant classic. Photo: Focus Features.
Seven of the top ten highest-grossing movies of the year so far are original films.
Aside from The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, The Devil Wears Prada 2 and Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu, the other seven films thriving at the box office are new, original ideas, and the best of the lot is a small, independent horror film directed by a comedic YouTuber in his 20s.
That film is Obsession.
Made for a minuscule $750,000, the film was sold to Focus Features for an estimated $14-15 million and is now sitting around returns of $250 million, and it’s still raking in the dough. A return of 400 times its original budget is not out of the question.
It is a success story that Hollywood will no doubt take inspiration from, and if we get the quality of Obsession in return, there will be very few complaints.
Obsession follows Bear (Michael Johnston), a 20-something who has a huge crush on his co-worker Nikki (Inde Navarrette) but doesn’t dare ask her out.
When Nikki announces that she will be leaving the music shop where they both work, Bear looks to buy her a farewell gift from a mysterious gift shop. Instead, he purchases a One-Wish Willow, which on the surface looks like a throwaway knick-knack.
Following the willow’s instructions, Bear wishes that Nikki loves him more than anyone else in the world, breaks the stick, and magically Nikki falls head over heels for him.
While all seems well in paradise, there is something sinister lying just under the surface as Nikki starts behaving, well, obsessively.
It’s not an exaggeration to say this film is one of the defining horror films of this generation. It is incredible.
While the monkey’s paw, be careful what you wish for, style of story is nothing new, it’s the delivery and commentary around toxic infatuation that makes this film so entertaining.
It’s a miracle that this film cost less than $5 million, let alone only $750k.
This is largely down to two key factors. The first is the direction and vision of director Curry Baker.
His use of lighting and sound, and his camera placement, create an unsettling tension even before the wish is made. When the shoe drops, it’s only amplified, creating a series of WTF moments with Nikki at the centre of it all.
This leads to the second key factor that makes this film so good, Inde Navarrette.
This is a breakout role of epic proportions, and there is no doubt that in the next few years, she will be in everything.
Navarrette is perfect here. She is equal parts terrifying and lovable.
Before the wish, she is presented as a carefree ‘girl next door’ who loves to flirt but maybe not commit. It’s clear why Bear fell hard for her, but she’s never presented as someone who’s going to reciprocate Bear’s feelings.
Then, when the wish happens, it’s clear that when she first reappears on screen, she’s not the same person. Then, for the next hour and a half, we see the repercussions of Bear’s desires take place.
There won’t be any spoilers here, but her actions range from cute, jealous girlfriend to borderline serial killer. It would have been a difficult juggling act for any actress, and Navarrette smashes it. In an ideal world, she will be accepting an Oscar nomination come January next year.
The film is also clever.
Yes, Nikki is clearly the obsessed individual in the film, but Bear’s actions aren’t far from reality. It puts a mirror up to real-life obsession. Things like scrolling through social media consistently, the constant need to impress your crush, and even changing personalities, all for an ounce of recognition.
In many ways, and I’m sure purposely, the title Obsession isn’t just a reference to Nikki. Nikki is the selling point, but arguably, she’s not the actual core theme of the film.
Obsession does so much right. It’s moody, it’s scary, its cast is superb yet not well known, but perhaps most of all, it’s a movie that you need to see in a group.
You will be looking at your friends almost as often as you’re looking at the screen, all while struggling to utter any sentence other than, ‘What did I just watch?’
If you can’t tell, I’m obsessed with Obsession, and once you watch it, you will be too!
Obsession is showing in cinemas across the country.
Original Article published by Jarryd Rowley on Region Canberra.
