"Der schüchterne Bear ist in seine beste Freundin Nikki verschossen. Da seine eskalierenden Gefühle nicht erwidert werden, deponiert er seinen Liebeswunsch via magischer One Wish Willow bei einer höheren Macht, die flugs dafür sorgt, dass sich die junge Frau haltlos nach ihm verzehrt. Wie die Gebrüder Philippou ("Bringe Her Back") hat auch Curry Barker mit Internet-Sketchen sein Gespür für Timing und Rhythmus geschärft, was es ihm jetzt erlaubt, aus einer generischen Prämisse einen mächtig effektiven Horrorthriller heraus zu stampfen, der fantastische Elemente mit psychologischem Realismus kreuzt und mit unvermittelter Härte, diabolischer Schmähführung und nahbaren Figuren das Herz jedes Genre-Fans zum Hüpfen bringt." Markus Keuschnigg, Nonstop Kino

"When a hopeless romantic makes a wish that his long-time crush falls in love with him, a sinister enchantment ensues in writer-director Curry Barker's freaky and frightening feature debut.
Woe is Bear (Michael Johnston), who has long carried a torch for his childhood friend Nikki (Inde Navarrette). When another attempted profession of love fizzles, Bear wistfully wishes for romantic reciprocation, unfortunately doing so while in possession of a trinket with supernatural properties of The Monkey's Paw variety.
Suddenly, Nikki is all over Bear, and he is quick to indulge in this long-desired turnabout while ignoring the ramifications of her intensifying fixation. Before long, Bear's fantasy turns to nightmare as Nikki's personality begins to twitch with a disturbing dysphoria that sinisterly suggests her autonomy has been usurped by a malignant entity that wants them both, body and soul.
'Be careful what you wish for' may be a staple in the horror genre, but writer-director Curry Barker enlivens this well-worn premise by lacing its inherent irony with a wickedly wry tone and an anxious tension that'll plummet the stomach of even hardened Midnighters. Having honed high-concept absurdism and creeping dread from his online productions, Barker deftly demonstrates a savvy command of tone and terror reminiscent of fellow sketch comedian Zach Cregger's "Barbarian".
As with that auspicious debut, Barker's first feature preserves an uncomfortable relatability in its hyperbolic scenario. Though literally featuring a customer service call from (and possibly to) Hell, OBSESSION cuts to the quick as it lays bare the innate violence in romantic objectification with an unforgiving candidness. That's made all the more disarming, thanks to exceptionally nuanced performances, particularly from Navarrette whose 'Freaky Nikki' oscillates between doe-eyed desire and devastating torment that will chill you to the bone." Peter Kuplowsky, Toronto International Film Festival 2025

"Curry Barkers OBSESSION trifft einen Nerv der Zeit. Der Film ist roh, verspielt, reflektiert und sehr, sehr unheimlich. Das macht ihn nicht nur zu einem der intensivsten und fiesesten Horrorfilme des Jahres, sondern überhaupt zu einem Film des Jahres." FM4 Wien