It’s perhaps a little too early to declare anything the ‘film of the summer’ – especially with everything from Disclosure Day to The Odyssey still to come – but newly released horror flick Obsession has certainly got things off to a great start.
Curry Barker’s film, which had a meagre budget of less than $1 million, has set the box office alight on the back of a wave of very strong reviews and positive word of mouth, becoming one of the biggest breakout successes of the decade.
Not only that, talk is already building about a potential awards run – with the sensational performance from breakout star Inde Navarrette touted as a possible Oscars contender.
Given all this hype, you may well be desperate to see what all the fuss is about. Read on for everything you need to know about how to watch Obsession.
How to watch Obsession – is it streaming?
At time of writing, the film is only available to watch in cinemas – and given the huge box office success, it seems likely that will remain the case for some time as Universal looks to make the most of the popularity.
The great news is that the success means no shortage of cinemas will be showing the film, so you shouldn’t find it too difficult to find somewhere near you showing it (and if you have to travel a little, it’s worth the trip!).
However, if you’d rather watch it at home (perhaps you’d like the reassurance of the lights being on) it’s likely you’ll have a little while to wait.
When will Obsession be available to watch at home?
There’s no word yet on when Obsession might be available to watch from the comfort of your own home, but it will eventually be possible to rent or buy on a number of the usual streaming platforms.
There was earlier talk that the film might arrive on streaming as early as the beginning of June, but this now seems very unlikely given the huge box office success – which seems like it could continue to climb.
Producer Jason Blum recently addressed the issue in an interview with Variety, explaining that he was a “big believer in a long, consistent theatrical window.”
He added: “It’s great the audience is aware of it. You would think they would say, ‘I want to buy it at home.’ But they’re actually cheering for the movie to stay in theatres longer.
“People cherish the theatrical experience, and they’re willing to give up the convenience of seeing something at home to keep their local theatre alive.”
With that in mind, it looks like the film won’t be available on VOD platforms until late June at the earliest – but we’ll keep you updated as and when we hear any more concrete information.
As for whether it might also eventually land on a subscription streamer such as Netflix or Prime Video, that’s also unclear at this stage. We’ll be on the lookout for updates!
Obsession plot – what’s it about?
The film is a play on the classic “Monkey’s Paw” storyline – following events after music store employee Bear wishes for his childhood friend and crush Nikki to fall in love with him. He quickly learns that you should be careful what you wish for…
The official synopsis reads: “After breaking the mysterious “One Wish Willow” to win his crush’s heart, a hopeless romantic gets exactly what he asked for. However, he soon discovers that some desires come at a dark and sinister price.”
Obsession review – is it worth the hype?
Have we learned nothing from The Monkey’s Paw? Apparently not, according to this clever, low budget, but genuinely frightening film from director Curry Barker (no relation to horror auteur Clive Barker).
Bear (Michael Johnston) makes his heart’s desire known when he wishes on a “One Wish Willow” charm: he wants his crush to love him more than anyone. Nikki (Inde Navarrette) is instantly in thrall, but unsurprisingly, it doesn’t go well.
Talking about themes of consent in an intelligent and contemporary way, Obsession doesn’t have a particularly surprising plot, but the way it’s shot is innovative. Utilising his meagre resources to the max, Barker pulls off at least one impressive and gory jump scare that is sure to shock audiences.
Sincere, fresh and darkly funny (Bear’s call to the “One Wish Willow” helpline is hilarious), this is an impressive film from Barker that begs the question, ‘what could he accomplish if he had a proper budget?’ Be careful what you wish for.
Obsession cast – who stars in the film?
Unsurprisingly given the low budget, the cast for the film is made up of up-and-comers – although it’s fair to see that leads Michael Johnston and especially Inde Navarrette have given their careers a major boost with standout performances.
You can find the full cast list below:
- Michael Johnston as Baron “Bear” Bailey
- Inde Navarrette as Nikki Freeman
- Cooper Tomlinson as Ian
- Megan Lawless as Sarah Harper
- Andy Richter as Carter Harper
- Haley Fitzgerald as Viola
- Darin Toonder as Harry
- Curry Barker as the voice on the phone
Obsession trailer
If you’re still not convinced if this one is worth your time (and in our view, it definitely is), perhaps the trailer below will help you make up your mind.
Obsession is now showing in UK cinemas.
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