It’s easy to imagine audiences driving home in silence, reeling from what they’ve just seen. “Obsession”, releasing in theaters Friday, May 15, and directed by young YouTuber Curry Barker, is a terrifying look at the consequences of codependency, framed within a classic “be careful what you wish for” story.

This psychological thriller is filled with a creep factor that feels all too real, crawling under the skin long after the film ends. It’s the kind of experience that leaves you sitting in your seat, unsure if it’s even safe to get up and leave.

Finding love is something everyone hopes for. But after watching this film, that idea feels far less comforting. “Obsession” draws on jealousy, possessiveness, fear of rejection, and unrequited love, exploring the intensity of infatuation and the feeling of being trapped in an unhealthy relationship. For those who have experienced a toxic partner, the film becomes especially disturbing, with Inde Navarrette delivering a performance that transforms that fear into something truly haunting.

By the end, the film pushes viewers to question the stability of their own relationships, wondering whether what they’re feeling is truly love, or something far more consuming… and possibly something they can’t escape. Those who are single may leave with a different kind of unease: the realization that their autonomy is a treasure they may be unwilling to sacrifice for something called “love.”

The film was produced by Capstone Pictures and Blumhouse Productions. Barker’s YouTube channel can be found at https://www.youtube.com/@thats_a_bad_idea.