What is the line that separates love from obsession? That is the question that I believe is at the crux of this movie’s plot, for although the main character asks for love, what he gets is an obsessive desire from his beloved. In fact, the movie shows us a loving, healthy beginning of a relationship in a quick montage that is overshadowed by the events that follow it. One often hears “beware what you wish for”, and in Obsession, you definitely should heed that warning.
The movie opens with Bear, the main character, practicing with a stranger how to express his feelings for Nikki, a longtime friend and love interest. It is clear that Bear lacks social skills and is an isolated young man, for when he comes home, he finds his cat Sandy dead and proceeds to mourn her like a loved member of his family. He later feels persuaded to go to a quiz event with his group of friends, that includes not only Nikki but also Ian (who helps Bear with his situation, but is also seeing Nikki on-and-off without his knowledge) and Sarah (an aspiring artist who clearly has feelings for Bear, but never expresses them fully).
Before the meet-up, Bear had decided to buy something for Nikki, as she had lost something dear to her. While perusing the items in the shop, Bear decides to buy a “magical stick” that grants a wish to the person who breaks it. After the quiz, Bear takes Nikki home and she decides to ask something to him and I remember that I was sitting next to a couple while watching this movie, and in this particular scene, the girl who I was sitting next to commented that Nikki clearly likes Bear. Yet, Bear does not take the opportunity to show his feeling towards her and she walks home. And then he makes the whish while breaking the “magic stick” and, almost immediately Nikki begins to act strangely.
What ensues is the loving montage I mentioned above, before the obsession “kicks in” and chaos ensues. In a way, this reminds me of Alexander Sokurov’s Faust, a beautiful movie about the myth of the man who sells his soul to the devil. In this version of the story, Faust sells his soul to possess a woman he clearly could have had without selling his soul, which is the same in this case: Bear didn’t need to wish for Nikki to love him, for she already does, to some degree. In both cases, the decision to make a wish or to sell ones’ soul means doom not only for the central, but also for the object of their desire, while also being a pointless sacrifice that needn’t be made.
As a horror movie, Obsession makes you feel awkward and uncomfortable as you watch, for the way Nikki expresses her obsession over Bear is incredibly close to what can happen in real life. Maybe one has already witnessed something similar or has felt it, even if not to such a degree. The end of the movie leaves the viewer feeling empty for there is no release from the curse brought about by the wish, only despair and blood.
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