The Obsession

To be brutally honest, this movie was extremely hard to sit through because the acting was just completely horrible. Elise Gatien, who played Erika Matthews (the teenage girl who was being stalked by her ballet teacher), was one of the characters that I kept asking myself, "How ON EARTH did she get this role?!?" I apologize for sounding so harsh but w/ all due respect, she can't act nor can she dance. As a big movie fan (be it TV or the silver screen), I have high expectations from Hollywood & most of the time, if I'm disappointed w/ a movie, it's usually because of the storyline & not because of the acting. So not the case w/ this movie. Of course, you can't blame everything on the actors because directors are just as responsible & the directing in this movie was very poor. I mean how many times do you need to see Erika's audition performance? This part of the movie was over kill for me & it didn't help that she wasn't a great ballet dancer to begin w/. Overall, a disappointing Lifetime movie!

After finding a condom wrapper in her car, attractive architecture designer Daphne Zuniga (as Deborah) suspects her husband is unfaithful. Newly divorced, Ms. Zuniga finds herself attracted to handsome young ballet instructor Sebastian Spence (as Reed Halton). He takes over as dance teacher for Zuniga's sweet 16-year-old daughter Elise Gatien (as Erika Matthews), after her regular teacher resigns abruptly. At first, Zuniga worries that dating her daughter's teacher may be unprofessional, but she needs to be "happy again." Maybe they should have included a scene with her checking out any condom wrappers around her own bed, or her daughter's...

"The Obsession" features central characters that are simply not convincing. We're told a mother loves her husband, yet there are no scenes questioning the condom wrapper and romantic video clip. Writer Christopher Morro and director David Winkler should have given us more reasons to understand Zuniga's conclusion (a previous affair, perhaps). Later, a quick slip into the sheets, with your daughter's doorway open, doesn't make sense. And, she could have been a little concerned and sneaky about her own activity. Also, nobody advises Ms. Gatien's character about other career options. She's a fine dancer, but seems quite unlike a professional ballerina.

*** The Obsession (2006-07-17) David Winkler ~ Daphne Zuniga, Sebastian Spence, Elise Gatien, William MacDonald

I truly love Daphne Zuniga but this movie was AWFUL due to the dancing. I'm sad to see her attached to such a terrible movie! I don't understand why with all of the amazing professional dancers out there, they would cast someone with no obvious dance training. It was really painful to watch! I wonder how an actor would feel if a dancer with NO ACTING ABILITY was cast in a regular acting role?? As the mother of a prima ballerina I love and look forward to dance movies but this was such an injustice to the art form! I'm not trying to knock anyone's acting ability (though it was suspect as well) but my true complaint is that I just don't understand what the casting director was thinking!!!!

This movie needs to serve crackers for as cheesy as it is! The entire plot is predictable and b-o-r-i-n-g.

Daphne needs some serious acting lessons - does she play the same character in everything she does? Always a surprised victim, duh! Actually ALL of the performers need to learn to act. I think the local elementary school would have done a more convincing job!

The dancing is good, but it can't save this made for TV movie.

Save yourself the time and trouble, sit down and watch the dust settle on the mantle for more entertainment! Because this will bore you to death! Y U C K!

I usually like to leave positive comments but I just have to react to this horrible movie. Like everyone else said, the teenage victim is one of the worst actresses I have ever seen. She was especially bad in the beginning when she is yelling at her mother for getting a divorce. She showed no emotion whatsoever. In fact, she barely showed any emotion throughout the whole movie. She had nothing to offer in looks, either. Her dancing was barely any better. Daphne Zuniga, who is usually a decent actress, fails to rise above the pathetic storyline. Sebastian Spence is the only actor in the whole movie who is worth watching. His character is very interesting but how can he fall for an unattractive, untalented teenage girl?! The red haired lady who was doing the teaching was very unattractive and was such a weird actress, whoever she is. The ending is very predictable and the movie never goes anywhere.

I'm only giving this movie three stars for Sebastian Spence of "First Wave" fame. Let's see more of him!