The Obsession

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've seen a lot of Lifetime movies in the past and have a pretty good idea of what's good and what's not. This one does not even live up to the most basic Lifetime movie, which is disappointing because the story could have been good.

Deborah Matthews is recently divorced mother of 16-year old daughter, Erika. Erika is an aspiring ballet dancer who is eligible to audition for a prestigious dance company and tries to spend every spare moment rehearsing for the big day. The ballet instructor, Mr. Kappas, leaves town without warning, forcing the dance school to hire Reed Halton. Of course, as in all Lifetime movies, he is not who he says he is, but before any of the other characters can figure it out, he's already insinuated himself into their lives.

I figured out every upcoming plot twist within 20 minutes of watching this movie. I was looking forward to it being a fan of Daphne Zuniga, but I was quickly bored with the story, with the acting, and with the direction of the film. We were subjected to dozens of slow montages of Erika dancing in various outfits in the ballet studio. I grew tired of the accompanying music very quickly. I won't pretend to know much about ballet, but I do know ballerinas are supposed to be graceful and light on their feet. In this film, Erika didn't appear to be the magnificent ballerina everyone around her said she was. The transitions from one step to another seemed clumsy and her entire routine seemed simplistic and unimpressive. I believe the filmmakers were trying to drive home that she's so beautiful a dancer, who wouldn't be mesmerized and become obsessed with her? They overdid it and failed.

Reed's character was not well-written. At first, he seems fairly normal and gets along with everybody well. Halfway through the movie he turns into a creep. His motives are weak and undeveloped. We're given one explanation about why he's so crazy, but it doesn't hold up well. There are many unrealistic things in this movie, like a website you can just click around and find someone's criminal record from another state. The way the cops act throughout the movie are very unrealistic as well.

Overall, this movie is just poorly executed. The subplots are predictable and the acting is sub-par. I can think of plenty of other Lifetime movies which are better than this one in every way. Avoid it if you can. 4/10

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

This film had promise with its story. I sadly have to agree with the other comments. The result of the film was terrible. The main reason being the acting of the actress who played Erika. She forced every line and was very poor. I too was wondering why she got the role.The other problem would have to be the MANY montages we have of Erika dancing. Half the film is Reed thinking of her dance and it gets boring (Although, a creep like Reed may ALWAYS think of the obsession.)The positive thing would be the actress who played the mother as well as the actor who played Reed were good. But overall, the films two problems out shined the positive.

First of all, I would like to start off with the positive, which sadly for me is only one thing, & that is Sebastian Spence is a really handsome actor. Sorry people, I tried to dig deep to come up with more positive things to say but this is all I could find. For Daphne Zuniga, she's a good actress. I've seen her other work; however, this movie was such a waste of her talent.

In a nutshell, "The Obsession" had potential. Unfortunately, it was never reached because of the really bad acting & bad directing. I cringed most of the time during the movie because of this. I was embarrassed for the entire cast. I wanted to grow with the characters & lose myself in the storyline but sadly it never happened. The chemistry in the cast was non-existent & most of the characters just weren't believable or organic, especially the girl who played Erika Matthews. She needs way more experience in her career before taking on ANY kind of movie. She has a very long way to go, which leaves me wondering like one other reviewer as in WHY she was casted in this role. And her dancing! Oh my gosh, her ballet performance totally killed me & seeing her routine once was TOO MUCH for me to stomach. Why did they have to show her routine over & over & over...??? Ugh!

Unfortunlatey everyone, I give "The Obsession" a big time THUMBS DOWN...WAY DOWN!