Giuseppe is a man who lives in his own little world, his current obsession overriding everything else. However, this doesn’t mean he’s selfish or cruel – it’s more like a disease he has no control over. Furthermore, his obsessions often lead to wonderful results (at least for him personally). He’s an Olympic-level high jumper, an accomplished singer, and polyglot, speaking more than 15 languages - including, it turns out, the language of rats.
He’s also eager to involve others in his current obsession. Most of the time, it’s his best friend, his pet rat Shiloh. Given that Cillo the Talking Mouse is not only the film’s protagonist but also its narrator, you’d be right to assume that this is a light-hearted, goofy film in many ways – a fairy tale set in a more modern era. As such, the film’s first act is almost entirely comedy, as Giuseppe meets and becomes obsessed with Pechica – befriending her and using his numerous past obsessions to make her life better.
Giuseppe’s character is complicated by his realization that he is infatuated with Pechica rather than in love with her. He didn’t want any credit for what he had done for her, and he didn’t expect anything in return. He knows that his actions are based on his own selfish desires. The point is, in this situation, what he wants is to see her truly happy. In this way, the film explores the relationship between selfishness and selflessness, obsession and love.
While the film’s story could have easily taken the obvious path – having Giuseppe turn to another obsession and letting Pechca deal with the consequences – the film’s second act goes in a different direction. The film’s tone becomes darker as Pechica’s tragic backstory is revealed, and Giuseppe encounters a problem that can’t be solved simply by one of his past obsessions or even a new one. The best he could do was ease her pain – but in doing so, he was doing himself a huge disservice. It’s beautifully tragic, watching Giuseppe go down the obviously wrong path while understanding his very normal desire to see the people he cares about smile without even a hint of sadness.
Unfortunately, the film’s resolution is a bit off. Giuseppe never regretted what he had done to him, and Pechica accepted it happily, despite the emotional abuse she suffered unintentionally. Because of this, the film misses its moral purpose.
Beyond that, on a plot level, the climax ends with a surreal moment that hands-off the self-destructive danger of what’s actually happening for a happy ending. You see, obsessed is an animated musical. Giuseppe, Pechica and Cielo all sing more than once in the film. However, it is revealed early on that during surreal musical moments Giuseppe is actually singing and dancing like a madman. Although what he sees is metaphorical, he still performs similar actions in the real world. With this in mind, it feels like both Giuseppe and Pechica should logically die (or at least be seriously injured) at the climax of the film – and the surreal musical nature of the film is used as a crutch to avoid this while still benefiting from the tension and danger created by this situation.
As for the music, this is not a hit Broadway musical. The opening track is, frankly, dissonantly brutal. The rest of the score, while better in comparison and not as inconsequential as the songs in a jukebox musical, is more about the overarching theme of how the characters are feeling rather than the actual characters or the specific situations they face. Additionally, while they don’t perform poorly, nor are they unpleasant to listen to, there aren’t any earworms present, either.
Another potential sticking point for the film is the visuals. On one side, we have background and scene art. It’s beautifully realized with lots of detail and a watercolor aesthetic. Plus, the hyper-realistic visuals are both creative and look great. On the other hand, however, we have the simple fact that these characters look like they were drawn by a real child. While this does fit in with the idea of a more modern children’s fairy tale, that doesn’t mean it looks good, and will likely turn off a lot of people who would otherwise enjoy the film.
Although not without problems, obsessed It’s a movie well worth watching. It’s filled with funny, silly moments, but also manages to delve into real human tragedy. This feels more like a classic Disney movie and is great for family viewing. Be sure to watch it yourself before showing it to your children – it may be a little too dark for younger or particularly sensitive children.
