OBSESSION: Cowardice Is The Devil's Playground

cowardice (n) a behavioral trait where excessive fear or anxiety prevents an individual from taking risks, facing danger, or doing what is morally right

So, like many, I watched the hottest movie out this summer, OBSESSION. Unfortunately, I didn't get to watch it in theaters, which I'm certain would've really enhanced my viewing experience due to the reactions I know a lot of these crazy ass scenes and moments would've spurred.

It was a wonderfully produced, directed, and acted-out film, capped by what was an Oscar-worthy performance by Inde Navarrette as Nikki, in addition to what was a very strong performance by her co-lead, Michael Johnston as Barron, or Bear.

Left to right: OBSESSION director Curry Barker, Inde Navarrette, Michael Johnston.

I'm not going to recap or summarize the entire film here; I instead want to examine what I deem to be the film's prevailing theme: the incredible destruction that cowardice can bring about.

There are a great number of themes from this film worth exploring further, such as the silent danger of covert narcissism, as well as the danger of an unhealthy, "toxic" friend group. I almost decided to write about the monster that male inadequacy and insecurity is, especially among Gen Z and Millennial men in today's day and age. But the loudest theme from this film to me is that of cowardice.

Right at the literal start of the film, this theme starts being established, as the first shot is a disheveled looking Bear rattling off a pathetic practice speech to a volunteering diner waitress about his romantic feelings for his friend Nikki, in preparation in asking Nikki to be his girlfriend. After this, Bear and his best friend Ian discuss how Bear should go about asking Nikki this, and when/where he should do it.

At this moment, I'm thinking to myself while watching: "this is a lot of work for one question." I remember being an adolescent, though. Asking a girl out once seemed like the most daunting task in the world to me, too. So, I understood Bear in this moment. Little did I know, this scene was the movie soft-launching how big of a coward Bear is.

When Bear drives Nikki home from their night out with Ian and Sarah, I lost count of all of the opportunities that Bear had to just ask her. Even after Nikki senses the trepidation in Bear (yes, women can smell the insecurity on weak men a mile away, if you weren't aware) and flat-out asks him:

"Do you like me? Because if you do, now's the time to tell me."

Bear is still too cowardly to spill the real to Nikki, still fidgeting and fumbling away. Nikki goes inside, and Bear immediately self-loathes. He immediately yanks the One Wish Willow out of his pocket and says the thing:

"I wish Nikki Freeman loved me more than anyone in the fucking world."

Within seconds of Bear's wish, Nikki began acting squirrelly and strange with Bear.

It's important to remember that the wish itself isn't cowardly. While Bear is clearly a coward, his wish wasn't made with ill intent and the knowledge that the wish would instantaneously come true. It''s the mindless utterance of a weak man who had every opportunity to tell the subject of his obsession this less than a minute prior, yes. But it wasn't done with malice.

The cowardice begins again when Bear is fully cognizant of what his wish has done to Nikki. I highly doubt the following occurred to him, but here's what he did: instead of allowing Nikki the choice to decide whether or not she wanted to be with Bear, Bear instead completely rips away her autonomy with his wish. It's the near-equivalent of getting a girl drunk or roofieing her drink for the predatory practice of trying to sleep with her. Yes, "Bear" becomes a predator in this film (no pun intended, but I'm sure the writers of the movie intended it).

Again, the act of the wish itself wasn't evil, but Bear's subsequent actions in furthering their relationship while Nikki is under this "spell" are the literal definition of evil.

Even when it becomes apparent to everyone in their orbit that there's something very suddenly wrong with Nikki, Bear continues the relationship, even when called out on this by Ian. It's only when things cross over the point of no return, with Nikki harming herself, murdering Sarah as she confessed her feelings for Bear in her car, and murdering Ian, that Bear starts to feel real shame and regret. Even then, this regret isn't out of care for Nikki. It's solely in mind for himself and what's happening to his life.

Cowardice: the failure to do what is morally right due to excessive fear.

I think what this film does best is highlight how dangerous some widely-believed "harmless" qualities are. Most people would look at Bear and think "this guy isn't a threat at all. I actually kind of pity him " due to his unimpressive physical prowess and tendency to retreat back into his shell at the threat of danger (which for Bear is the fear of his obsession for Nikki not being requited).

Even the word "coward" doesn't scream "danger." When you think of a coward, you don't immediately think of them as a true danger to others. Make no mistake, though: cowards are some of the most dangerous people you can have the displeasure of crossing paths with.

Talking shit about your friend behind their back? Cowardice. Cheating on your partner? Cowardice. Bullying others due to peer pressure or otherwise due to one's own insecurity? Cowardice.

When you really take the time to think about it, a lot of crime is even built out of cowardice. Many rapists are cowards; instead of looking to have sex in moral (or legal) ways, they are driven by their cowardice to take it by force, coercion or by way of drugs and substances.

To a lesser degree, cowardice is even shown in the central friend group in this story: Bear, Nikki, Ian, and Sarah. Ian and Nikki failed to tell Bear that they had been sleeping together for years behind Bear's back: instead, they were "going to get to it eventually." Sarah didn't tell Bear about her feelings for him until it was too late.

Left to right: Bear (Michael Johnston), Sarah (played by Megan Lawless) and Ian (played by Cooper Tomlinson).

The world's biggest evils are born out of some kind of weakness. I've written about this theme consistently on Mentality before: how people consistently fail to "break the chain" of this world's abuses. This idea is otherwise known in simpler terms as: "hurt people hurt people." Where evil and weakness is to be found, some form of cowardice is likely to be found as well.

Humanitarian causes find it difficult to have real, significant staying power in today's day and age because of the widespread apathy that exists in people. If our voices are a weapon, then our silence are us placing our tools down and shoving them into the closet. Remember this when you think about why the current state of the world is defined by bigotry, greed, and genocide.

Let me get off my soapbox, though. This movie is great because it forces you to think and theorize, in general. It's birthed some interesting "litmus test" conversations within communities. So when the topic of "cowardice" comes up, remember this message so you don't fail the test. It's dangerous, it begets evil, and yes: it is absolutely "the devil's playground."