Bad romance turns into Obsession in this blistering horror

Despite her foreboding appearance and odd behavior, Bear embraces her, so in love with the idea of a relationship that he looks past a manipulation so severe that it leads to bouts of her screaming or unable to control her aggression when he questions her. While the red flags fly wildly unheeded, composer Rock Burwell underscores the tension with ominous ’80s-style synth music, playing up the horrifying reveals in place of Bear’s inability to scream over the horror he’s wrought.

As the film’s morally compromised lead, Johnston embodies a beta male sensibility that’s initially somewhat charming in its effusive passion, but later becomes annoying in its helplessness, and eventually dangerous to all. From the start, Bear is unable to talk to Nikki like a normal person because he fears rejection above everything else. When things go off the rails, he’s unable to talk about his problem with friends, leaving them to second-guess what’s really going on—and even question Bear’s intentions. Johnston is able to hold both the pathetic side of Bear and his inconsiderate side, shirking responsibility for what’s happened to Nikki because it benefits him. 

The true star of Obsession, though, is Inde Navarrette. She introduces her character within a few moments of screentime––someone who’s kind, lively, somewhat bossy, and nurtures her own semi-private aspirations to write. Once under Bear’s curse, Navarrette’s entire body language changes. Gone is the confidence that was just on-screen moments ago. In its place is an anxious presence, pleading to always be with Bear, to make him happy, to watch him sleep. Things only get weirder with each scene, and in short succession, Navarette is contorting her face in unnatural ways, screaming at the top of her lungs like a toddler, and—through some of Barker’s editing magic—speeds up or reverses her movement to look even more otherworldly. Navarrette’s wild performance channels Isabelle Adjani’s turn in Possession in her commitment to the emotionally and physically intense role. 

Barker’s formidable theatrical debut is more than just a cautionary tale about wishes. It’s a twisted look at toxic relationships, both those that manipulate partners out of a learned helplessness and those that smother their partners with a poisonous fixation. Thanks to an unassuming collector’s item from the ’80s, one person’s inability to talk about his feelings turns his dreamgirl into a nightmare. Through clever cinematography, editing tricks, and a cast that’s fully committed to the director’s unnerving vision, Barker reimagines a classic horror idea for a new generation.

Director: Curry Barker 
Writers: Curry Barker 
Starring: Michael Johnston, Inde Navarrette, Cooper Tomlinson, Megan Lawless, Andy Richter
Release Date: May 15, 2026