OMG, they’re obsessed. (CREDIT: Courtesy of Focus Features / © 2026 FOCUS FEATURES LLC)
Starring: Michael Johnston, Inde Navarrette, Cooper Tomlinson, Megan Lawless, Andy Richter
Director: Curry Barker
Running Time: 109 Minutes
Rating: R for Disturbing Sudden Violence, Odd Bedroom Behavior, and a Brief Moment of Graphic Nudity
Release Date: May 15, 2026 (Theaters)
What’s It About?: You know when you’ve been harboring romantic feelings for a platonic friend for a long time, but you’re too afraid to ask them if they feel the same way, so then you just secretly wish that they would confess their love for you out of the blue? Do you think it would be sensible to make that wish with the aid of a supposedly magic device? If you’re a human being in this layer of reality, then I would call that “Mostly Harmless.” But if you’re the main character in a horror movie, then I would categorize that as a “Bad Idea.” Lovesick young music store employee Bear (Michael Johnston) finds that out the hard way when he cracks open what appears to be a novelty device called a “One Wish Willow” and declares his desire that his coworker Nikki (Inde Navarrette) would love him more than anything in the world. His request is granted, but it predictably all goes pear-shaped, as Nikki becomes possessed by a treacherously all-consuming passion.
What Made an Impression?: Too Close for Comfort?: There are some movies about young people with plenty of snappy dialogue that make growing up seem impossibly cool. And then there are those movies about young people where the dialogue is stilted and faltering, which make growing up seem like hell on Earth. Obsession is very much the latter. I imagine that was intentional, but if you’ve ever found yourself in a predicament like Bear’s, you may find this all simply too unbearable. Reminding yourself that this is just a movie is usually a good idea when it comes to horror. But in this case, I suspect it will only bring the coldest of comfort.
Stretching Out for Some Relief: Much of Obsession operates in two-hander mode, with Bear defenseless against Nikki’s descent as they lounge alone in his curtains-drawn, limbo-like house. So keep your claustrophobia treatments handy if you’re susceptible to the anxiety of tight spaces. Navarette is game to go as uncanny as this isolation demands, but I must say that I preferred the occasional group gatherings, particularly a standout party scene in which the extra characters allow the disturbing quirks to bounce and echo in zippy directions. Getting backed into a corner is much more fun when you know that you can bust out of it occasionally.
A Crunchy Mix of Flavors: Obsession is one of the most disturbing horror movies I’ve seen in the past few years, and yet it’s also one of the silliest. Those two opposing tones seem to have a restraining order against each other, save for when they get mixed up in the chaotic climax. To drill down into specifics, this is a movie that includes someone’s face being bashed against a brick as well as a frozen-in-place character losing control of fluid-based bodily functions, but it’s also a flick that features Reddit research about the Mandela effect along with Andy Richter in a small role as one of the main character’s dads. In other words, this is the kind of cinematic experience that’ll have you going, “Um, okay, that’s bizarre” and also, “OMG, THAT’S BIZARRE!”
Obsession is Recommended If You Like: High-concept kid-friendly horror like Are You Afraid of the Dark? and Goosebumps turbo-charged into R-Rated Mode
Grade: 3.5 out of 5 Willows
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