Horror film 'Obsession' strikes a nerve with Toronto audiences
Psychological thriller earned 96% on Rotten Tomatoes after TIFF premiere. Viewers say it sticks with you without relying on jump scares.
Director Curry Barker's psychological thriller Obsession has sparked real reactions from Toronto audiences since hitting theatres May 15, weeks after premiering at TIFF last fall.
The film sits at 96% on Rotten Tomatoes, but what matters more is how viewers are talking about it. NOW Toronto spoke with audience members after screenings, and the consensus wasn't about the score — it was about the feeling the movie leaves behind.
Anna V., a Toronto horror fan who's seen it twice, called it "the best horror movie of the 2020s." She praised Barker's refusal to rely on jump scares, instead building dread through plot, environment, and atmosphere. "It's eerie, and you feel gross, and that's what I love about it," she said.
Natalia M., another viewer, noted the film's appeal to its target audience and applauded the indie crew's budget discipline. Maverick O. disagreed only with the Rotten Tomatoes score — he thought it should be higher than 96%. Even a week after watching, the film's premise — losing control while forced to witness yourself causing harm — had him unsettled.
Barker, a YouTuber stepping into horror for the first time, tapped into something audiences craved: a thriller that trusts the viewer's discomfort instead of manufactured scares. The word-of-mouth is carrying the film.