Story perspectives

Curry Barker's “Obsession” Shows Gen Z Rejection Angst

6/6/2026

Summary

Story summary

Director Curry Barker’s horror “Obsession” follows a store employee whose wish that coworker Nikki love him sparks her violent obsession, reflecting Gen Z fear of rejection and risky fixes.
Critics say the movie mirrors abusive-relationship patterns such as dependence, jealousy and erratic mood swings.
The film, set in Andy Richter’s father-figure-run record store, belongs to a YouTuber horror wave that began with David F. Sandberg’s 2013 success and includes the Philippou brothers.

History

Historical Context

In December 2013 Swedish filmmaker David F. Sandberg posted the no-budget short “Lights Out,” which quickly went viral and attracted industry attention. Its 2016 feature adaptation earned $148 million worldwide on a $4.9 million budget, proving that online horror shorts could become profitable franchises. That success paved the way for creator-led projects such as Curry Barker’s “Obsession,” which follows the same YouTube-origin model.

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Story summary

Director Curry Barker’s horror “Obsession” follows a store employee whose wish that coworker Nikki love him sparks her violent obsession, reflecting Gen Z fear of rejection and risky fixes.
Critics say the movie mirrors abusive-relationship patterns such as dependence, jealousy and erratic mood swings.
The film, set in Andy Richter’s father-figure-run record store, belongs to a YouTuber horror wave that began with David F. Sandberg’s 2013 success and includes the Philippou brothers.

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