I watched half of “Obsessed” with one eye peeking out of my index and middle finger, shaking my head at some very intense scenes and two fierce female lead characters.
I watched half of “Obsessed” with one eye peeking out of my index and middle finger, shaking my head at some very intense scenes and two fierce female lead characters.
Sharon (played by Beyonce Knowles) is the wife of Derek (played by Idris Elba), an asset manager who is working on a million dollar account. The movie opens up with the couple taking down the sign of their first home, with plenty of flirting and fondling before the opening credits finish rolling. Knowles and Elba have a strong chemistry and make an attractive couple too. But like every relationship, there are hard times. And with money comes power and groupies trying to get their respect. In this case, the groupie is a blond bombshell temporary assistant named Lisa (played by Ali Larter). Derek appreciates a beautiful face and his co-workers tease him endlessly for snagging Sharon at work. Audience members are also led to believe that that’s not Derek’s first crush at work, but it all stopped when he married Sharon.
Unfortunately for him, charm leads to obsession, and Sharon is none too thrilled to find out Derek has a female assistant. Women’s intuition kicks in, and she makes a surprise visit to check out Lisa. And while Sharon is letting Lisa know who Derek comes home to, Lisa simply doesn’t care. And it’s on!
Like any successful groupie, Lisa finds out Derek’s schedule and favorites, plays on his emotions, and takes on some pretty scandalous and tricky ways to get his attention. Surprise visits at office parties. Some help coercing him into an intimate situation. And finally into Sharon’s territory—their home.
The plot isn’t particularly unique—typical jealous wife; delusional and beautiful co-worker, and a man pleading his “I didn’t do it” case. But the actors and actresses are what carry this movie. Elba is obviously eye candy for the ladies, but it is his knack for being able to compliment a scene without saying a word that make the film. Clenched jaw, eyes almost tearing, chest heaving, gritting teeth, and staring off into the distance. If you’re not familiar with Elba, you’re missing out on one talented actor.
Beyonce is an excellent singer and beautiful physically, but up until “Cadillac Records,” I never regarded her as a talented actress. In that movie, we got to see a different side of her—a cursing, tomboyish character, and in “Obsessed,” she has a personality just as strong with a few expletives that sound strange coming out of her mouth. With each movie, she gets a little better, but she’s not quite there yet. Even when she’s mad and fighting onscreen, her face still looks bubbly like she’s about to break out into posing for a picture or sign an autograph.
Next to Elba, Larter stole the show. Like Elba, her facial expressions make her dialogue even more piercing and she understands how tone can make a line more powerful. Plus she was convincing as the crazy woman.
The conflict, dialogue, and talent of the cast make this movie pleasantly and surprisingly entertaining. However, there was one particular scene involving an after-hours party that should have been used by the police but instead it was all but forgotten during the investigation. That was completely unrealistic and dumbed down the ending a little bit.
Overall, I’d give the movie three and a half out of five stars.
______
Copyright 2009 Chicago Defender. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
About Post Author
