It is no secret that Curry Barker’s second feature film Obsession has taken the box office by a storm. The film’s initial release brought in over 17.2 million dollars in ticket sales during its opening weekend, but its second weekend in theaters brought a nearly unheard of spike in ticket sales, earning over 23.9 million dollars in profit, a rarity for horror films. So why is everyone so obsessed? It might have something to do with Hollywood’s “scream queen in the making” Inde Navarette.
The New Faces of Obsession
A detail that has most likely added to the audience’s intrigue with Obsession is how it showcases up-and-coming voices, instead of A-list actors. The film stars Michael Johnston as “Bear”, an insecure, shy guy that is crushing big time on his coworker “Nikki” (Inde Navarette). While it’s obvious Nikki only sees Bear as a friend, he is determined to receive her affection. So when he purchases a seemingly unserious collectible called the “One Wish Willow” where you only get one wish, he states, “I wish Nikki Freeman loved me more than anyone in the f*cking world.” And while he at first seems to get his wish, it comes with grueling consequences that haunt Bear throughout the entire film.
When I first watched the trailer for this movie, something I originally noticed was the variety of fresh actors and voices in filmmaking. Curry Barker, just 26 years old, wrote and directed the film, and it is only his second feature. Having success like this so early in your career is an astounding accomplishment, and it clearly spoke to audiences along with myself as a motivator to watch his work, and to keep striving for whatever goals are aligned in our career paths. Michael Johnston, previously known for his role as “Corey Bryant” in the 2010 hit series Teen Wolf, saw his biggest achievement yet as the lead in Obsession.
The standout star in this terrifying film isInde Navarette with her one of a kind performance as “Nikki Freeman”. Navarette, like her co-star Johnston, started her acting career with appearances in tv shows including Superman & Lois, 13 Reasons Why, and more. So when critics reviewed her performance, they were astounded to find this was Naverette’s first ever horror role. They are describing her performance, as “visceral” and “legendary” as her eerie facial expressions, unpredictable outbursts, and genuine portrayal of fear leave you both terrified of the character, but also feeling sad for her. The film overall earned a stamp of 96% from critics all around the world.
Along with the powerful work put in by these newer actors, Barker was able to attract audiences of all ages by casting comedic legend Andy Richter. Richter portrays “Carter Harper”, the manager of the music store where all four of the main friends work, and is conveniently also the father of “Sarah Harper”, who is obviously crushing on “Bear” (Johnston). Ritcher’s casting works so well because it brings a sense of familiarity to viewers who are walking into this film with no prior knowledge of its story, while also increasing the stakes of the plot as he has a familial bond with a key character in this horror story. While new actors encourage audiences to see their work, a known actor like Richter brings comfort to audiences that they are in for a good moviegoing experience.
Low Cost, High Reward
Another impressive fact about this film was that it was created with a budget under 1 million dollars. In today’s industry, a budget that low that produces work of this caliber is almost unheard of. Holding the top spot in the box office for several days in a row, Barker’s Obsession becomes the cheapest film to secure that spot in 17 years. With the majority of the scenes being shot in studios, virtual production stages, and spaces owned by crew members, Barker made the most out of the resources the low budget provided him with. At times, crew members were even extras on set, eliminating the need for more spending. This film was a low cost production, but it resulted in an extremely high reward. By the end of its second week in theaters, Obsession brought in a domestic profit of 58.5 million dollars, with the international profits adding up to 79.7 million after just two weeks. This film, if not already, is well on its way to making 100 times the cost of its production. This type of profit is one of the rarest and most successful the horror genre has ever seen.
Everyone is Obsessed
All throughout the world people are purchasing their tickets to see this box office hit. While it’s definitely scary and intense to watch, this film can be enjoyable, even if you are not particularly a fan of horror. With amazing sound, cinematography, lighting, and more, Obsession is an artform that deserves all the appreciation it’s getting.