Netflix releases the Secret Obsession trailer and poster. Directed by Peter Sullivan, the drama thriller stars Brenda Song, Mike Vogel, and Dennis Haysbert. In 2019 alone, Sullivan has produced eight made-for-television movies.
In Secret Obsession, Song portrays a newlywed named Jennifer. After being attacked at a rest stop, she’s reunited with her husband Russell (Vogel), only she has no recollection of their relationship, or even the past in general. Like a good husband, Russell takes care of Jennifer at their remote home in the mountains. Meanwhile, a detective (Haysbert) investigates Jennifer’s case, and realizes that Russell isn’t actually married to Jennifer - he’s the man who attacked her.
Netflix released the Secret Obsession trailer. Early on, the premise is established as Russell visits Jennifer at a hospital. A black and white flashback sequence details the specifics of the hit-and-run accident, and Jennifer struggles to remember any details about her life. The action picks up when Haysbert’s detective enters the narrative, and the introduction of dark blue graphics calls back to erotic thrillers from the ‘90s. As a whole, the trailer mostly follows the official synopsis and definitely has a made-for-television vibe. Whereas a recent Netflix thriller like The Perfection effectively uses sound design to create suspense, the Secret Obsession trailer seemingly uses music to underline genre tropes, as the final 30 seconds feel similar to Fifty Shades of Grey’s musical motifs. Check out the Secret Obsession trailer and poster below.
Secret Obsession’s protagonist, Song, previously appeared in the feature films The Social Network and College Road Trip. In pop culture, she’s perhaps best known for starring in Disney Channel series like The Suite Life of Zack & Cody and The Suite Life on Deck. Song’s Secret Obsession co-star, Vogel, has starred in television series such as Pan Am, Bates Motel, Under the Dome, and The Brave.
Aside from The Perfection, Netflix hasn’t released many thrillers in 2019. In January, the streaming service released the neo-noir action film Polar, which didn’t go over well with critics. Similarly, Dan Gilroy’s satirical supernatural horror film Velvet Buzzsaw didn’t make much noise upon being released in February, despite an all-star cast featuring Jake Gyllenhaal, Rene Russo, Toni Collette, John Malkovich, and Stranger Things’ Natalia Dyer. Ironically, the action thriller Triple Frontier created some buzz for Netflix when it released in December 2018, however the streaming service has suggested that it will be more budget-conscious in the future due to the film flopping.
Based on the Secret Obsession trailer, Netflix is indeed taking a more practical approach with the thriller genre. However, if subscribers feel like they’re getting a cookie-cutter film, full of cliches and the expected genre tropes, then Netflix may indeed need to invest in the appropriate talent. After all, moviegoers expect more than the same ol’ thing in 2019. But perhaps Secret Obsession will indeed be more than just a predictable Netflix thriller.
Source: Netflix