14 DAY TRIAL // Beyonce Knowles must be one of the few singers who have managed to make an overall successful crossover from music to film, but that is not to say she should do just about any type of movie. With “Obsession,” a thriller in the manner of “Fatal Attraction” now running in theaters, movie critics are rushing to say that the pop diva should, perhaps, stick to playing biographical movies and musicals.
“Obsessed” deals with the story of a successful businessman, who is accomplished both on a professional and personal level. A temp worker, though, starts giving him trouble by stalking him and, this way, putting all that he has worked hard to get into jeopardy. Although a relatively small production that did not get that much attention in the media, “Obsessed” is now on the lips of every movie critic, big or small, just because of the starpower Beyonce’s name brings to it.
“‘Obsessed’ has little plausibility, but at moments it’s an entertaining bad movie, and the performers are vivid.” top critic Owen Gleiberman says for EW, adding, “It’s doubtful that ‘Obsessed’ will stick in the popular imagination for more than two weeks, because the movie is borderline ludicrous, and it jams its characters into rigid slots.” “‘Obsessed’ is your typical stalker thriller, but is horrifically written and terribly overacted. Beyonce Knowles’ performance is completely laughable. Speaking of overacting, the filmmakers wanted to make Beyonce a bad[-expletive] but they failed miserably and her dialogue came off as cheesy and non-threatening.” BDK Reviews writes.
Rated at a mere 29 percent, “Obsessed” seems to have been a bad choice not only for Beyonce, but for the other members of the cast as well. Trying too obviously to copy other, more successful films on the same topic, it has barely managed to elevate itself above the “tolerable” limit. Of course, critics point out, that is not to say that it does not have its strong suits as well, which is why it is best enjoyed as a “glossy, campy fantasy” and should not be taken too seriously.
“Obsessed” opened in the US on April 24, will reach Spain on May 29, and will eventually conclude its run in France, on September 2.