How A YouTube Director Made One Of The Scariest Movies Of The Year

"Obsession blends the high-concept punchlines of Barker's sketch-comedy background with the shocking imagery and emotional violence of an Ari Aster movie. (Barker cites the Hereditary director as one of his key influences.) The result is a grimly funny morality tale that takes a simple, relatable premise and spins it out into nightmarish directions: Michael Johnston stars as Bear, an employee at an Atlanta music store whose secret infatuation with his friend and coworker Nikki (Inde Navarrette) takes a dark turn after his wish for her to love him back actually comes true."

"In classic “monkey's paw” style, Bear's desires have a price, and his reaction changes everything we thought we knew about this self-proclaimed “nice guy.” The gruesome horror story that follows raises provocative issues of entitlement and consent, fueled by a powerhouse performance from Navarrette. We spoke with Barker at the end of a long promotional tour for the film and found him to be as enthusiastic about his work as he was at the start."

"A little over a year later, Obsession sold for an estimated $15 million after its midnight premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival. Now Barker and his collaborator Cooper Tomlinson are working on another horror film for Blumhouse, and Barker is writing and directing a “reimagining” of The Texas Chain Saw Massacre for A24. Not bad for a director whose first movie had a budget of $800."

"My experience with this movie is that it's a sort of Rorsch"

Obsession follows Bear, an employee at an Atlanta music store whose secret infatuation with Nikki turns dangerous when his wish for her to love him back comes true. The story uses a “monkey’s paw” premise where desires carry a price, and Bear’s reaction reshapes how his “nice guy” persona is understood. The film combines high-concept punchlines with shocking imagery and emotional violence, drawing on influences from unsettling horror. It becomes a grimly funny morality tale that expands a relatable premise into nightmarish outcomes. The narrative centers provocative issues of entitlement and consent, supported by a standout performance from Inde Navarrette.

Read at Inverse