Obsessed with what?

And the Oscar for best extra in a film goes to…

Race!

When I saw the preview, in the back of my mind, I heard the old, tired, played out trumpet call: “Come one. Come all. Come see who takes home the “gold.” Does Sharon keep the title of “Wifey” or will the challenger, “The Boogie-down Blonde,” take it when all the dust clears?” Yes, I am talking about Obsessed. My initial thought was, is this Spike Lee's Jungle Fever meets Curtis Hanson's The Hand that Rocks the Cradle: the new-age epic battle for the handsome, successful, delectable black man? Happy to say, I was wrong.

I think Steven Hill directed a more nuanced film than many people will give him credit for. Hill skillfully casts race as an extra in the film, not allowing it to steal the show. Now why do we have beautiful blonde versus bombshell black? Because no one would have went to see the movie if it wasn’t so. We only need to think back a few years to Hitch when the directors only casted Eva Mendes because they thought the movie would be a flop with a “true” dark on dark (code for black on black) romance storyline. I guess what I am trying to say is that one could reasonably argue that the movie would have been the same with or without Ali Larter as Kate. The only thing is nobody would know because no one would have waited in line for tickets if Kate was, to be stereotypical for a moment, Lakisha. People wanted to see how Sharon was going to handle the white girl being near her man and, of course, the fight scene. Thus, race was bait—something external to the movie. I think the “why” should be the real discussion surrounding Obsessed.

With that said, I would be remised if I didn’t ask about the relationship dynamics between Sharon and Derek from a gender perspective. Trust was a reoccurring issue in the movie. Did anyone else catch the level of distrust between them? Was Sharon right to demand that Derek not have a female assistant after her because she became the Mrs.? Was Derek wrong for getting out of character at work and offering a shoulder to lean on to Kate, regardless of her race (subsequent craziness notwithstanding)? Although a minor detail, the battle for trust in the relationship turned out to be a major part of the movie. A key part one may argue. Remember, this wasn’t Enemy of the State where Will Smith actually had an affair; there, the distrust was valid. But here, Sharon’s jealousy(?), insecurity(?), fears(?) got the best of her. But the other side of the coin is just as dirty: Derek’s lies of omission (rightfully so) got him into trouble throughout the movie. So, what was up with the relationship?

Again, I was happy that race was in the background and not beating me over the head at every stage of the game. The movie was more about a relationship between a married couple with a crazy psycho trying to bar her way in. I left the theaters pleasantly surprised. And like Jeremy said of Tupac Resurrection, this movie was definitely worth the $12.50.