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Obsessed

Name: Obsessed
Director: Jonathan Sanger
Released: 1992
Duration: 88 min

Representation Score

4.7/10

Fair

1992

PG-13

Director

Jonathan Sanger

Runtime

88 minutes

Average Rating

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New Showbiz Analysis

Obsessed is a period thriller that uses an interracial romance to explore the systemic oppression of the Jim Crow era. It succeeds by centering the Black experience and challenging the racial homogeneity often seen in mid-century period dramas. The film's strength lies in its multi-layered approach, using the intimacy of its leads to highlight political resistance. It avoids a sanitized view of history, instead focusing on the tension between individual actions and institutional racism. However, the film lacks representation for LGBTQ+ identities and individuals with disabilities, which limits the breadth of its social exploration.

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Category Breakdown

Does Obsessed have LGBTQ+ representation?

Minimal

The film does not include any LGBTQ+ characters. The main conflict revolves around a heterosexual relationship within a segregated society.

How does Obsessed portray gender?

Good

The protagonist plays a significant role in driving the narrative, actively navigating a patriarchal legal system that threatens her social and reproductive freedom.

How racially and ethnically diverse is Obsessed?

Excellent

The film centers on an interracial relationship between a Black woman and a white man, serving as a critique of historical miscegenation laws and racial segregation.

How does Obsessed represent religion and culture?

Excellent

The narrative criticizes Western institutions, depicting mid-century legal frameworks as tools of systemic oppression. It emphasizes social justice by highlighting the corruption inherent in segregationist laws.

Does Obsessed include disability representation?

Minimal

There are no significant depictions of physical or neurodivergent disabilities within the primary story arc.

Present on Screen

Strong depiction of racial diversity through an interracial central romance.
Nuanced portrayal of women's ability to navigate patriarchal and systemic forces.
Sophisticated critique of historical legal frameworks and systemic oppression.

Limited or Absent

No LGBTQ+ characters or non-straight relationships.
Lack of representation for physical or neurodivergent disabilities.

Official Synopsis

Lorie Brindel works at an insurance company and falls in love with one of her clients, the much older Ed Bledsoe. Spending weeks of passion together, Lorie is convinced that Ed is the man of her life and that he would marry her. When Ed decides to break up the relationship, Lorie does not accept it and tries to win him back, falling from her extreme love into an equally extreme hatred.

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