Curry Barker, one half of the comedy duo Curry & Coop, debuts his first full length theatrical feature, Obsession, a dark comedy horror take on toxic relationships. Barker is no stranger to the horror genre, as some might remember his found footage film Milk & Serial, released last summer on his YouTube channel That’s A Bad Idea. Barker has had his experience of directing short films such as Real World, The Chair, and Striking Gold. Following its premiere as the opening film for the TIFF Midnight Madness programme, Focus Feature picked up Obsession for distribution with a release in the near future.
Obsession tells the tale of Bear (Michael Johnston), a hopeless romantic working at a retail store who’s had his eyes set on his friend and co-worker Nikki (Inde Navarrette). When he chokes up the moment to confess his true feelings towards Nikki, he uses a souvenir he originally wanted to gift her called a “One Wish Willow,” an item that supposedly grants you an irreversible wish to make Nikki to fall head over heels for him, with deadly sinister consequences.
Obsession is a film that doesn’t feel as clichéd in storytelling and surprises you with how far it will go. While you might think the film will go into one direction, it does a complete 180 and delivers good scares and darkly humorous moments. The theatre experience at TIFF helped elevate the suspense and shock Obsession throws at you.
The core theme is the toxic relationships some couples are a part of. Even if it is something you really want to make work, how much would you endure before enough is enough? That is the question Obsession asks. Thanks to its talented leads, Michael Johnston and Inde Navarrette give it their all as the couple who everyone wishes would break up. Barker pushes the boundaries of how far Nikki will go to make sure Bear will not only never abandon her, but also make sure he knows she is the only one for him.
The film balances enough tension with humour that it never truly feels like the tone drastically changes. Barker cleverly mixes in what is usually shocking with a dark twist that will make you laugh and then make you feel bad for laughing (in a good way). The mix of tension and humour will leave audiences satisfied.
Obsession is one of the standout films of TIFF 2025 and Midnight Madness. Barker delivers a darkly humorous twist on a Monkey Paw story that stays with you even as the credits roll. Be sure to check out Obsession when it hopefully releases next year.
All images via Focus Features.
Directed by Curry Barker
Screenplay by Curry Barker
Produced by Haley Nicole Johnson, Christian Mercuri, Roman Viaris, James Harris, Mark Lane
Starring Michael Johnston, Inde Navarrette, Cooper Tomlinson, Megan Lawless
Premiere Date: September 5, 2025 (Toronto)
Running Time: 108 minutes
Cinema from the Spectrum 
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