“Be careful what you wish for” is an adage seemingly as old as time, having fueled countless tales and fables over the years. So writer and director Curry Barker isn’t exactly covering new ground in his sophomore feature Obsession. But tropes become tropes because they’re effective, and as evidenced here, it’s very good advice.

Bear (Michael Johnston) works with his friends Ian (Cooper Tomlinson), Sarah (Megan Lawless), and Nikki (Inde Navarrette) at the music shop owned by Sarah’s father Carter (Andy Richter). They love going out for trivia at a local bar afterwards, and it is at on one of these nights that Bear plans to tell Nikki he has feelings for her. His interminable shyness prevents him from doing so however, even when Nikki basically offers him the opportunity on a platter as he drops her off afterwards.

Alone in his car, still outside her house, he remembers that earlier that day he bought her a novelty toy named a One Wish Willow and decides to instead try it himself. He activates the gift and wishes for Nikki to “love him more than anyone else in the whole world.” Within seconds she is outside his car trying to coerce him to spend the night with her.

Bear is a little uncomfortable about the change, especially in moments when it appears as though Nikki snaps back to her old self, panicked and confused by what’s happening. But it is what he wanted and so he ultimately pushes any misgivings aside and accepts the new arrangement, even happily for a time. But Ian and Sarah still find the shift odd and their doubts get him to start questioning things, agitating Nikki whose single-minded obsession with Bear begins to grow dangerous for everyone.

It’s a clever twist on the “monkey’s paw” tale, that uses the basic idea to examine the cost of viewing women as objects that are undeserving of agency. Bear undoubtedly thinks of himself as a “nice guy”, but the way he can so easily ignore the consequences of what he’s done in order to have his dream girl reveals his true nature and adds a layer of “ick” to some of his choices.

Johnston portrays him well, nailing the character’s dweebish shyness and growing terror, but Navarrette is the true standout here. If the Academy continues last year’s trend towards being more accepting of horror films, then her performance as Nikki should get her into the Best Actress conversation. Her ability to cycle through a wild range of tones and emotions, often drastically changing behavior instantaneously, is some of the most impressive acting in any movie this year and at the least it should mark her out as a star to watch.

Barker’s script is masterful, upping the weirdness at just the right pace and perfectly towing the line between offbeat humor and crushing dread. We know something terrible is coming and he keeps us in suspense as he builds towards it. And the ending. To avoid spoiling anything I’ll just say it’s utterly perfect. Obsession is a wild ride that isn’t afraid to go to dark places as it psychoanalyzes a certain type of modern man. Genuinely tense and unsettling, this is a movie you won’t soon forget. ★★★★★

RATED R FOR STRONG BLOODY VIOLENCE, GRISLY IMAGES, SEXUAL CONTENT, PERVASIVE LANGUAGE, AND BRIEF GRAPHIC NUDITY.

★★★★★ = Excellent | ★★★★ = Very Good | ★★★ = Good | ★★ = Fair | ★ = Poor