Secret Obsession Film Review

Directed by: Peter Sullivan

Produced by: Jeffrey Schenck, Barry Barnholtz

Running time: 97 minutes

Genre: Thriller, Drama

Distributed by: Netflix

About the film

The film begins with Jennifer clearly in a state of terror and running away from someone. As she is running, she is knocked down by a car. She wakes up in hospital with no recollection of who she is or how she got there. She is suffering with short term memory loss and has difficulty in remembering anything previous to the accident.

Ryan turns up at the hospital claiming to be her husband and even provides evidence that she is his wife, like photographs. On getting released from hospital when she recovers, Jennifer returns home with the man she believes to be her husband. Throughout the film we see how Jennifer gets little flashbacks of what happened to her prior to her accident.

And then we have Detective Frank Page, played by Dennis Haysbert. He has his suspicions about Ryan and sets out to prove that his man isn't who he claims he is. Over the course of the 97 minutes, we see how Jennifer slowly starts regaining some of her memory and begins to realise that Ryan isn't the man he claims to be. With the help of Detective Page, we get to see just how dark and sinister he is and the reasoning behind his obsession with Jennifer.

I found this film interesting and intriguing. It got me thinking just how vulnerable someone can be, especially when you suffer with amnesia after an horrific accident or attack. I did feel really sorry for Jennifer. She didn't realise at the time that members of her family had been murdered and that Ryan was not her true husband. It just goes to show, I thought, that when someone has a real obsession with someone else, there is no stopping them and the lengths they will go to to get that person. And with Jennifer being in such a vulnerable position at the time, she really believed Ryan was her husband. Why wouldn't she? At the start of the film he treated her just like any kind and loving husband would do.

There are only 4 real main characters in this film. Ashley Scott, who plays the Nurse, I have seen in films before so knows she's a good actress. She doesn't have a great role in this film, but she played the role well. I think a little bit more could have been done though to question Ryan's involvement in Jennifer's life. It does make you wonder what would happen if this was real life. I like the role of Frank Page in the film. He came across onscreen as a kind man and wanting to get to the bottom of who Ryan really is. I don't really know much about the actors who played Jennifer and Ryan, but I think they played a good part and worked well together.

Yes, I did find this film really creepy. It goes to show the lengths some people will go to to get what they want, and who they want. Some people are, indeed, very deceptive - and good at it too. This film has proved that. Would I recommend this? I would yes, I did enjoy this film. Although, like I say, I think the staff at the hospital could of done a little bit more work in proving who Ryan really was.