THE OBENSON REPORT

Covering Cinema From All Across The African Diaspora

PICS - Idris Elba & Beyoncé In "Obsessed"


Courtesy of Wilson Morales at AOL Black Voices... Sony Pictures has released the first images from Obsessed, a thriller starring Idris Elba, Beyonce, and Ali Larter.

What's it all about?

Derek Charles (Idris Elba), a successful asset manager who has just received a huge promotion, is blissfully happy in his career and in his marriage to the beautiful Sharon (Beyoncé Knowles). But when Lisa (Ali Larter), a temp worker, starts stalking Derek, all the things he's worked so hard for are placed in jeopardy.

Did I mention that Ali Larter is white? So, we've got a white woman stalking a black man... on screen. How often do we get to see that? Or maybe it's not such a big deal.

Although, I wonder if that was an intentional choice, and this premise could be the basis for some genuine deconstruction of race-based stereotypes and related long-held beliefs in this country. I wonder if the film will be bold enough to go where most mainstream movies of this kind would never dare tread, or whether the filmmakers will settle for yet another C-grade vanilla thriller, completely ignoring the opportunities the premise presents?!


With the film being produced by Will Packer who gave us films like
Stomp The Yard, I'll expect the latter.

By the way, Beyonce, along with her father Mathew Knowles are executive producers of the film, which will be released by Screen Gems on April 24, 2009 - also, not necessarily a good sign, since Screen Gems isn't exactly known for its challenging fare - specifically, it's a "specialty" arm of Sony's Columbia Pictures, which produces and releases smaller-budget science fiction, horror, teen movies, farce or "ETHNIC" films, with more centralized target audiences. Some of their previous releases: Two Can Play That Game, Love And A Bullet, Breakin' All The Rules, Resident Evil, This Christmas and First Sunday, amongst many others...

Can't wait...
PICS

2 comments:

  1. Karen said...
     

    The plot to this film seems unoriginal, more like something I'd see on Lifetime but since Elba and Larter are in it I'll give it a try.

  2. Anonymous said...
     

    Same for me also but i will see the movie anyway.music star pictures

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