Obsession (2013)

Obsession (2013) follows the current trend plaguing Cinemax softcore today. A small numbered cast fucks. There are often sometimes three sex sequences between the same people. In the case of Obsession, Kiara Diane is Sophie, working on a piece about womanizing businessman, Max (Jason Sarcinelli), while her relationship with lover Jake (Rocco Reed) seems to be on autopilot. The film basically has Diane as the central performer performing all the simulated scenes. Both Reed and Sarcinelli have fake sex with her multiple times. The problem with these cyclical sequences is repetition. If the first scene is erotic, the second and third scenes are certain to wind up (as is the case in this film) as “more of the same”. I will say I like seeing a woman being disrobed by an individual (if a woman does it, I’m through the roof aroused) and then clothed (especially in lingerie and a hugging cocktail dress) afterward. The film doesn’t even bother following Sarcinelli and Diane to dinner after that scene, however, and they simply return to the next scene afterward to them shagging. 

The problem with the story is how Diane’s character finds contempt for Max yet in one night on a reluctant date she’s more than willing to have sex with him. It smacks in the face of ludicrous that she could be so seduced so quickly. This would be based, in my opinion, basically on Sarcinelli’s hunkiness than his personality. He’s your basic wealthy douchebag typically in total control of the women in his orbit, but Diane should be that character that resists his charms…what little charm, Max’s smarmy creep has. Diane looks like a fool by film’s end because her Sophie walks into what was obvious…a controlling creep starts expecting her to be his doormat. Reed’s Jake is kind to Sophie but his commitment to her is called into question. The major bone of contention in the whole deal is Diane’s robotic, monotone performance which provides no incentive for us to give a shit about her at all. I guess that’s rightfully so considering how easily duped her Sophie is. That Sophie winds up back with Jake so the two can get down to business shouldn’t be surprising considering most of us could tell that once Max got him some pussy she’d be eventually just another conquest. 

All that said, Diane and Sarcinelli match well in terms of looks and if their time sexually had been drawn out a bit instead of partaking in numerous sequences not long after each other, the sex could've not been so similar and going-through-the-motions. There’s only so much two can do to keep the audience interested. Positions and action in softcore is limited anyway, so when two actors are tasked with trying to remain compelling and keep the viewer turned on by them during faux sequences often results in diminished returns. The same with Reed and Diane. Because Diane has almost all the scenes (Tasha Reign is in one scene as a more than willing babe for Max to bang; her enthusiasm indicates that perhaps she was a better fit for the lead than the dull Diane), the same two actors can only do so much. Because story and characters are practically meaningless in the grand scheme of things, when all you have left are the sex scenes they would need to deliver, and I think Obsession has a yolk of baggage it can’t overcome. The budgets for these skin flicks have seen cuts that render them stuck to one or two locations. In this movie’s case, Max’s bachelor pad and Kiara’s home are the primary places where the action results. I think you can skip this film unless you can’t get enough naked Sarcinelli and Kiara…that will have to be the reason to bother with Obsession at all. And, if you have cast Michelle Lay (and she is magnificent in sapphic erotica), why not get her in a little lesbian fun with Kiara? Easily, Sophie's loyalty to Max could have been tested at an urging to fuck his secretary...just a thought.