How Curry Barker's Obsession became a £167 million hit by turning dating anxieties into psychological horror

Highlights

• Curry Barker's viral horror film Obsession uses a supernatural premise to explore modern relationship anxieties.
• The film examines how obsession, entitlement and idealisation can be mistaken for romance.
• Its themes have resonated with younger audiences navigating dating in an age of constant digital connection.

When affection turns into control

On the surface, Obsession has the ingredients of a traditional horror film: a wish gone wrong, a relationship spiralling out of control and an atmosphere of growing dread.

What has captured audiences, however, is not the supernatural element but the film's portrayal of unhealthy relationship dynamics. At its core, the story asks what happens when someone becomes attached not to a person, but to an idea of who that person should be.

The film challenges long-held romantic tropes that celebrate persistence and intense devotion. Instead, it highlights the point at which affection becomes possessiveness and one person's desires begin to outweigh another person's freedom to make their own choices.

Rather than relying solely on monsters or curses, Obsession draws its horror from behaviour many people recognise in everyday life.

The unsettling reality behind the 'nice guy'

Part of the film's appeal lies in its central character, who does not fit the stereotype of a conventional villain. He appears ordinary, familiar and even sympathetic at first glance.

The story explores how entitlement can emerge in subtle ways, whether through the belief that kindness deserves a romantic reward or the refusal to accept rejection as a final answer.

By focusing on these behaviours, Obsession taps into wider conversations around modern dating, loneliness and expectations. The film suggests that the most troubling relationships are not always built on hostility, but on an inability to accept another person's independence.

That idea feels particularly relevant in an era where emotional investment can develop long before two people meet in person.

Why the film resonates with modern audiences

The rise of dating apps and digital communication has transformed how relationships begin. Conversations can stretch for weeks through messages, voice notes and shared interests before any real-world connection is established.

Obsession reflects the risks that can arise when expectations grow faster than reality. The film examines how fantasy, idealisation and imagined futures can create disappointment when another person does not share the same vision.

It also questions cultural ideas that have long been associated with romance. Constant communication, jealousy and emotional dependency are often portrayed as signs of passion, yet the film presents them as warning signs that can erode healthy boundaries.

Ultimately, Obsession suggests that genuine intimacy is built on mutual choice rather than control. That message, more than its supernatural storyline, is what has made the film resonate so strongly with younger viewers.

Its greatest scare is not the curse at the centre of the plot, but the uncomfortable recognition that some of its relationship dynamics feel all too familiar.