An aspiring artist struggles to piece her life back together after a tragic event in George Henry Horton’s thriller Dark Obsession. Anne (Blaine Morris) is at the tipping point in her life. After suffering a tragic miscarriage, the question is, what will she do next? Hoping to rekindle her marriage with Henry (Lenny Amoia), Anne prepares the perfect steak dinner.
With no gift in hand, he offers to present her with a “gift” in the bedroom. Hoping to have another go at a child, Henry discovers that Anne has been taking birth control pills without his knowledge. That was the straw, and Henry walked out for good.
Desperate to get Henry back, Anne leaves message after message on his cellphone and tracks his every movement. Every text and call is left unanswered. As her money runs out, Anne decides it’s time for a fresh start…but what happened to Henry? Anne now finds herself alone in their home in the woods, stewing in her own thoughts. Replaying events of her past…rewriting events of her pat. Her dreams have become nightmares, and a mysterious voice calls out to her…
“Hoping to have another go at a child, Henry discovers that Anne has been taking birth control pills…”
Dark Obsession is reminiscent of the Lifetime thrillers of old…recent old. Blaine Morris takes center stage as we walk alongside her down Anne’s path of despair. Morris is fantastic as her character devolves into a psychological spiral when Anne’s life is torn into pieces. Morris shifts with ease between remorseful, hopeful, paranoid, and slightly insane.
Director Horton weaves a tragic tale in this story of a once-happy wife and soon-to-be mother. Anne finds herself stalled in the first stage of grief…denial. Anne’s mind switches quickly between happy memories, with Henry being replaced with tragic ones. Like a good thriller, her dark truth is ultimately revealed.
Dark Obsession‘s primary weakness is its small budget, which gives an opportunity to show off director Horton’s ability to weave together a psychological tale in the middle of the forest. The art found in Dark Obsession comes from its quick edits, use of natural light, and a very Lifetime soundtrack. Sure, Hollywood could do it better, but there’s fun and freedom that shines in this indie thriller.
"…finds herself stalled in the first stage of grief..."
