20 Movies Like Obsession That Turn Desire Into Dangerous Obsession

Netflix’s Obsession pulls viewers into a tense and forbidden affair that spirals far beyond attraction. Based on Josephine Hart’s novel Damage, the 2023 thriller follows respected surgeon William Farrow as his secret relationship with his son’s fiancée, Anna, grows into a destructive fixation that threatens everyone around them. The series thrives on passion, betrayal, and psychological tension, making it a compelling watch for fans of dark relationship dramas and erotic thrillers. If you were captivated by its twisted romance and emotional fallout, these movies deliver similar intensity. Check out the list below and find your next addictive watch.

Vertigo

Alfred Hitchcock engulfs you in a whirlpool of terror and tension!
Streaming on:
Genre: Mystery, Romance, Thriller
Country: United States of America
Language: English
Runtime: 2h 8m
Release date: 9th May 1958
Rating: ★★★★★★★★☆☆ (8.1/10)

Like Obsession, Vertigo explores fixation, desire, and the dangerous lengths people go to in pursuit of an idealized relationship. Its psychological tension and obsessive behavior make it one of the most influential movies like Obsession.

A retired San Francisco detective suffering from acrophobia investigates the strange activities of an old friend's wife, all the while becoming dangerously obsessed with her. Vertigo is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 2h 8m runtime, released in 1958 with an average rating of 8.1 by 6,345 people. The movie made an estimated total of $7,808,900 in the box office.

Fatal Attraction

A look that led to an evening. A mistake he'll regret... FOR THE REST OF HIS LIFE.
Streaming on:
Genre: Thriller, Drama, Romance
Country: United States of America
Language: English
Runtime: 1h 59m
Release date: 18th September 1987
Rating: ★★★★★★★☆☆☆ (6.8/10)

Fatal Attraction shares Obsession's themes of unhealthy attachment, jealousy, and escalating romantic obsession. Both films show how a seemingly ordinary relationship can spiral into psychological terror.

A married man's one-night stand comes back to haunt him when that lover begins to stalk him and his family. Fatal Attraction is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 1h 59m runtime, released in 1987 with an average rating of 6.8 by 1,691 people. The movie made an estimated total of $320,145,693 in the box office.

Misery

Paul Sheldon used to write for a living. Now, he’s writing to stay alive.
Streaming on:
Genre: Drama, Thriller
Country: United States of America
Language: English
Runtime: 1h 47m
Release date: 30th November 1990
Rating: ★★★★★★★★☆☆ (7.8/10)

Misery captures the same intense fixation found in Obsession, with a fan's unhealthy devotion turning into control and captivity. The film is a gripping study of obsession taken to extremes.

After an accident, acclaimed novelist Paul Sheldon is rescued by a nurse who claims to be his biggest fan. Her obsession takes a dark turn when she holds him captive in her remote Colorado home and forces him to write back to life the popular literary character he killed off. Misery is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 1h 47m runtime, released in 1990 with an average rating of 7.8 by 5,243 people. The movie made an estimated total of $61,300,000 in the box office.

One Hour Photo

The things that we fear the most have already happened to us...
Streaming on:
Genre: Drama, Thriller
Country: United States of America
Language: English
Runtime: 1h 36m
Release date: 21st August 2002
Rating: ★★★★★★★☆☆☆ (6.7/10)

One Hour Photo mirrors Obsession through its focus on a lonely man who becomes consumed by another family's life. Both stories examine voyeurism, fantasy, and dangerous emotional fixation.

Sy Parrish has lovingly developed photographs for the Yorkin family since their son was a baby. But as the Yorkins' lives become fuller, Sy's only seems lonelier, until he eventually convinces himself he's part of their family. When Sy's picture-perfect fantasy collides with an ugly dose of reality, a bizarre and thrilling confrontation ensues. One Hour Photo is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 1h 36m runtime, released in 2002 with an average rating of 6.7 by 1,907 people. The movie made an estimated total of $52,223,306 in the box office.

Black Swan

"I just want to be perfect."
Streaming on:
Genre: Drama, Thriller, Horror
Country: United States of America
Language: English
Runtime: 1h 48m
Release date: 3rd December 2010
Rating: ★★★★★★★★☆☆ (7.7/10)

Black Swan is a psychological thriller about perfectionism and self-destructive obsession, making it a compelling choice for fans of Obsession. Both films delve into distorted realities fueled by fixation.

A committed dancer struggles to maintain her sanity after winning the lead role in a production of Tchaikovsky's "Swan Lake." Black Swan is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 1h 48m runtime, released in 2010 with an average rating of 7.7 by 15,575 people. The movie made an estimated total of $329,398,046 in the box office.

Whiplash

The road to greatness can take you to the edge.
Streaming on:
Genre: Drama, Music, Thriller
Country: United States of America
Language: English
Runtime: 1h 47m
Release date: 10th October 2014
Rating: ★★★★★★★★☆☆ (8.4/10)

Whiplash explores relentless ambition and obsession, showing how fixation can consume every aspect of a person's life. Fans of Obsession will appreciate its intense psychological conflict and unhealthy pursuits.

Under the direction of a ruthless instructor, a talented young drummer begins to pursue perfection at any cost, even his humanity. Whiplash is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 1h 47m runtime, released in 2014 with an average rating of 8.4 by 16,656 people. The movie made an estimated total of $50,307,484 in the box office.

Nightcrawler

The city shines brightest at night.
Streaming on:
Genre: Crime, Drama, Thriller
Country: United States of America
Language: English
Runtime: 1h 58m
Release date: 23rd October 2014
Rating: ★★★★★★★★☆☆ (7.7/10)

Nightcrawler features a protagonist driven by an obsessive need for success, echoing the unsettling character psychology seen in Obsession. Both films examine moral boundaries eroded by fixation.

When Lou Bloom, desperate for work, muscles into the world of L.A. crime journalism, he blurs the line between observer and participant to become the star of his own story. Aiding him in his effort is Nina, a TV-news veteran. Nightcrawler is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 1h 58m runtime, released in 2014 with an average rating of 7.7 by 11,744 people. The movie made an estimated total of $47,425,835 in the box office.

The Prestige

Are You Watching Closely?
Streaming on:
Genre: Drama, Mystery, Science Fiction
Country: United Kingdom
Language: English
Runtime: 2h 10m
Release date: 19th October 2006
Rating: ★★★★★★★★☆☆ (8.2/10)

The Prestige shares Obsession's fascination with obsession itself, as rival magicians sacrifice everything to outdo one another. Its themes of fixation, deception, and personal ruin align closely with Obsession.

A mysterious story of two magicians whose intense rivalry leads them on a life-long battle for supremacy -- full of obsession, deceit and jealousy with dangerous and deadly consequences. The Prestige is a movie from United Kingdom in English, with a total 2h 10m runtime, released in 2006 with an average rating of 8.2 by 17,618 people. The movie made an estimated total of $109,676,311 in the box office.

Memento

Some memories are best forgotten.
Streaming on:
Genre: Mystery, Thriller
Country: United States of America
Language: English
Runtime: 1h 53m
Release date: 11th October 2000
Rating: ★★★★★★★★☆☆ (8.2/10)

Memento combines psychological instability with compulsive behavior, creating the same sense of uncertainty that defines Obsession. Both films center on characters trapped by their own fixations.

Leonard Shelby is tracking down the man who raped and murdered his wife. The difficulty of locating his wife's killer, however, is compounded by the fact that he suffers from a rare, untreatable form of short-term memory loss. Although he can recall details of life before his accident, Leonard cannot remember what happened fifteen minutes ago, where he's going, or why. Memento is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 1h 53m runtime, released in 2000 with an average rating of 8.2 by 16,282 people. The movie made an estimated total of $40,060,108 in the box office.

Cape Fear

Sam Bowden has always provided for his family's future. But the past is coming back to haunt them.
Streaming on:
Genre: Drama, Crime, Thriller
Country: United States of America
Language: English
Runtime: 2h 8m
Release date: 13th November 1991
Rating: ★★★★★★★☆☆☆ (7.3/10)

Cape Fear delivers a chilling story of revenge and dangerous obsession, much like Obsession. Its relentless antagonist embodies the destructive power of fixation and emotional manipulation.

Sam Bowden is a small-town corporate attorney. Max Cady is a tattooed, cigar-smoking, Bible-quoting, psychotic rapist. What do they have in common? 14 years ago, Sam was a public defender assigned to Max Cady's rape trial, and he made a serious error: he hid a document from his illiterate client that could have gotten him acquitted. Now, the cagey Cady has been released, and he intends to teach Sam Bowden and his family a thing or two about loss. Cape Fear is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 2h 8m runtime, released in 1991 with an average rating of 7.3 by 3,874 people. The movie made an estimated total of $182,300,000 in the box office.

Taxi Driver

On every street in every city in this country, there's a nobody who dreams of being somebody. He's a lonely forgotten man desperate to prove that he's alive.
Streaming on:
Genre: Crime, Drama
Country: United States of America
Language: English
Runtime: 1h 54m
Release date: 9th February 1976
Rating: ★★★★★★★★☆☆ (8.1/10)

Taxi Driver explores alienation and obsessive thinking through a deeply disturbed protagonist. Fans looking for movies like Obsession will find a similarly intense psychological character study.

Suffering from insomnia, disturbed loner Travis Bickle takes a job as a New York City cabbie, haunting the streets nightly, growing increasingly detached from reality as he dreams of cleaning up the filthy city. Taxi Driver is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 1h 54m runtime, released in 1976 with an average rating of 8.1 by 13,461 people. The movie made an estimated total of $28,579,636 in the box office.

Rear Window

It only takes one witness to spoil the perfect crime.
Streaming on:
Genre: Thriller, Mystery, Drama
Country: United States of America
Language: English
Runtime: 1h 52m
Release date: 1st August 1954
Rating: ★★★★★★★★☆☆ (8.3/10)

Rear Window revolves around voyeurism and fixation, themes that strongly connect it to Obsession. Both films build suspense through characters who become consumed by watching and pursuing others.

A wheelchair-bound photographer spies on his neighbors from his apartment window and becomes convinced one of them has committed murder. Rear Window is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 1h 52m runtime, released in 1954 with an average rating of 8.3 by 7,176 people. The movie made an estimated total of $37,042,336 in the box office.

Play Misty for Me

The scream you hear may be your own!
Streaming on:
Genre: Drama, Thriller
Country: United States of America
Language: English
Runtime: 1h 42m
Release date: 1st October 1971
Rating: ★★★★★★★☆☆☆ (6.6/10)

Play Misty for Me is one of the closest movies like Obsession, featuring a romantic encounter that develops into dangerous stalking and obsession. Both films examine the dark side of attraction.

A brief fling between a late-night radio disc jockey and an obsessed female fan takes a frightening turn when another woman enters the picture. Play Misty for Me is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 1h 42m runtime, released in 1971 with an average rating of 6.6 by 564 people. The movie made an estimated total of $10,600,000 in the box office.

The Crush

He thought it was just a crush. He was dead wrong.
Streaming on:
Genre: Thriller, Drama
Country: United States of America
Language: English
Runtime: 1h 29m
Release date: 2nd April 1993
Rating: ★★★★★★★☆☆☆ (6.7/10)

The Crush centers on a young woman's unhealthy fixation on an older man, echoing the possessive relationships seen in Obsession. The story highlights how obsession can quickly become threatening.

A precocious and obsessive teenager develops a crush on a naive writer with harrowing consequences. The Crush is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 1h 29m runtime, released in 1993 with an average rating of 6.7 by 555 people. The movie made an estimated total of $13,609,396 in the box office.

Swimfan

His biggest fan just became his worst nightmare.
Streaming on:
Genre: Thriller, Mystery, Romance, Drama
Country: United States of America
Language: English
Runtime: 1h 24m
Release date: 6th September 2002
Rating: ★★★★★☆☆☆☆☆ (5.2/10)

Swimfan follows a teenager whose romantic obsession spirals into manipulation and violence. Like Obsession, it explores the consequences of unchecked desire and emotional fixation.

Ben Cronin has it all: the admiration of his many friends, a terrific girlfriend, and he's on the fast-track to an athletic scholarship. Ben's rock-solid, promising future and romance are turned upside-down with the arrival of Madison Bell. Madison, the new girl in town, quickly sets her sights on the impressionable Ben. While their first few meetings are innocent enough, the obsessive and seductive Madison wants more ... much more. Swimfan is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 1h 24m runtime, released in 2002 with an average rating of 5.2 by 288 people. The movie made an estimated total of $34,411,240 in the box office.

Obsessed

Sharon and Derek have all they've ever wanted... but someone else wants it more.
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Genre: Drama, Thriller
Country: United States of America
Language: English
Runtime: 1h 48m
Release date: 26th February 2009
Rating: ★★★★★★☆☆☆☆ (5.7/10)

Obsessed shares many of the same themes as Obsession, including infatuation, stalking, and the disruption of personal relationships. Both thrillers focus on the dangers of obsessive attraction.

Things couldn't be better for Derek Charles. He's just received a big promotion at work, and has a wonderful marriage with his beautiful wife, Sharon. However, into this idyllic world steps Lisa, a temporary worker at Derek's office. Lisa begins to stalk Derek, jeopardizing all he holds dear. Obsessed is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 1h 48m runtime, released in 2009 with an average rating of 5.7 by 700 people. The movie made an estimated total of $73,830,340 in the box office.

The Gift

Not every gift is welcome.
Streaming on:
Genre: Thriller, Mystery, Drama
Country: United States of America
Language: English
Runtime: 1h 48m
Release date: 31st July 2015
Rating: ★★★★★★★☆☆☆ (6.7/10)

The Gift examines lingering fixation, secrets, and psychological manipulation, making it a strong recommendation for fans of Obsession. Both films build tension through unsettling personal connections.

Simon and Robyn are a young married couple whose life is going as planned until a chance run-in with Simon's high school acquaintance sends their world into a tailspin. The Gift is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 1h 48m runtime, released in 2015 with an average rating of 6.7 by 3,496 people. The movie made an estimated total of $58,978,653 in the box office.

The Perfect Guy

Trust one, fear the other.
Streaming on:
Genre: Drama, Thriller
Country: United States of America
Language: English
Runtime: 1h 40m
Release date: 11th September 2015
Rating: ★★★★★★☆☆☆☆ (5.7/10)

The Perfect Guy explores romantic obsession and stalking behavior that closely mirror the central themes of Obsession. Its suspense comes from a relationship turning increasingly dangerous.

With a fulfilling career and a loving relationship, lobbyist Leah Vaughn seems to have it all. Things come crashing down when Dave, her long-term boyfriend, disagrees with her future plans for marriage and a family. The resulting painful breakup leaves Leah heartbroken, until she meets the charming and handsome Carter Duncan. Soon, the budding romance turns dangerous as Carter reveals his volatile nature, forcing Leah to break up with the man she thought was Mr. Right. She soon realizes that Carter doesn't want to let her go. The Perfect Guy is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 1h 40m runtime, released in 2015 with an average rating of 5.7 by 341 people. The movie made an estimated total of $60,273,173 in the box office.

Take Shelter

Far away from the cruel world.
Streaming on:
Genre: Thriller, Drama, Horror
Country: United States of America
Language: English
Runtime: 2h 0m
Release date: 30th September 2011
Rating: ★★★★★★★☆☆☆ (7.1/10)

Take Shelter focuses on a man's consuming fears and compulsive need to prepare for disaster. While different in premise, it shares Obsession's exploration of fixation and psychological strain.

Plagued by a series of apocalyptic visions, a young husband and father questions whether to shelter his family from a coming storm, or from himself. Take Shelter is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 2h 0m runtime, released in 2011 with an average rating of 7.1 by 1,992 people. The movie made an estimated total of $3,741,098 in the box office.

Gone Girl

You don't know what you've got 'til it's...
Streaming on:
Genre: Mystery, Thriller, Drama
Country: United States of America
Language: English
Runtime: 2h 29m
Release date: 1st October 2014
Rating: ★★★★★★★★☆☆ (7.9/10)

Gone Girl combines manipulation, obsession, and toxic relationships in a way that will appeal to fans of Obsession. Both films reveal how fixation can distort love, trust, and identity.

With his wife's disappearance having become the focus of an intense media circus, a man sees the spotlight turned on him when it's suspected that he may not be innocent. Gone Girl is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 2h 29m runtime, released in 2014 with an average rating of 7.9 by 19,997 people. The movie made an estimated total of $370,890,259 in the box office.

Whether it is forbidden romance, dangerous desire, or the devastating consequences of obsession, these films capture the same unsettling energy that made Obsession so hard to look away from. Each one explores how passion can blur into fixation, creating stories filled with tension, heartbreak, and shocking turns that stay with you long after the credits roll.

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