Michael Johnston Plays Bear in Obsession After TIFF Debut
Michael Johnston plays Bear in Curry Barker’s horror film “Obsession,” a 108-minute title that debuted at the Toronto International Film Festival last year and has kept drawing notice since. The review from the Boston Globe calls it a gruesome horror movie and says it plays best as a communal experience.
TIFF to Boston Underground
Last year’s Toronto International Film Festival debut gave “Obsession” its first major showcase, and a Midnite Madness screening helped turn that attention into the kind of audience response horror films depend on. A few weeks before the review, it also played at the Boston Underground Film Festival, keeping the title in circulation rather than letting its festival run fade.
The film’s festival path matters because it has already moved beyond being a discovery item. The review says “Obsession” has received critical raves, and that kind of steady praise tends to push a horror title from niche curiosity into a broader word-of-mouth asset.
Bear, Wish, Blowback
Johnston’s Bear sits at the center of Curry Barker’s setup: he wishes on a cheap novelty item called the “One Wish Willow,” then calls the “One Wish Willow” hot line for help after things go horribly awry. That premise gives the film its darkly comic edge and puts Johnston in the role of the character carrying the damage once the wish starts to twist.
The review describes the screenplay as trying to say something about female autonomy and male selfishness, while also comparing the film to “Gen-Z’s answer to “Fatal Attraction”” and “a darkly comic take on “The Monkey’s Paw”.” Those are not casual compliments; they point to a film that is being read as both genre exercise and argument, which is a harder lane than simple gore.
Audience reaction counts
The Boston Globe review says the movie gets a communal reaction from audiences with its jump scares and savage gore, and adds, “this is a movie you’ll want to watch with an audience.” That line tracks with the Midnite Madness screening: “Obsession” is being sold by response as much as by premise.
For viewers tracking Johnston, the immediate takeaway is simple. Bear is the role to watch, and the film’s current momentum comes from how that performance lands inside a horror crowd rather than from any single plot twist. If the raves keep stacking up, “Obsession” looks built to travel as a festival title that works hardest in a packed room.
