Directed by Steve Shill, ‘Obsessed’ is a 2009 psychological thriller starring Idris Elba, Beyoncé Knowles, Ali Larter, Jerry O’Connell, and Christine Lahti. The movie chronicles the story of Derek Charles (Idris Elba), a successful asset manager, living his best life alongside his wife, Sharon (Beyoncé Knowles), and son, Kyle. However, his picture-perfect life turns dark when a new temp worker, Lisa Sheridan (Ali Larter), becomes infatuated with Derek. As Lisa’s obsession intensifies, her actions become increasingly aggressive, leading to a series of unsettling and dangerous encounters.
Ali Larter gives a spine-tingling portrayal of the obsessive antagonist, allowing the audience to experience the dread and unease she causes to Derek and his family. Idris Elba’s acting chops are on full display as he takes on the role of a man trapped in a nightmare who must fight to save his career and family. If you’re curious to see how Lisa turns Derek’s life upside-down, here’s everything you need to know about the ending of ‘Obsessed.’ SPOILERS AHEAD!
Obsessed Plot Synopsis
Derek Charles (Idris Elba) is a successful businessman who works tirelessly to provide for his wife, Sharon (Beyoncé Knowles), and son, Kyle. The couple has recently moved into a new home following Derek’s impressive job promotion. In an elevator encounter, Derek meets Lisa (Ali Larter), a temporary team member, and is immediately impressed with her professionalism. Lisa (Ali Larter) also takes a liking to Derek’s humility and approachability. She admires how Derek maintains a friendly and down-to-earth attitude towards his employees and co-workers. On the other hand, Derek is also impressed by Lisa’s hard work and dedication. Sadly, Lisa misinterprets Derek’s friendly attitude and gradually develops strong feelings for him. What initially began as a friendly exchange soon transforms into something more for Lisa.
Lisa begins to stalk Derek, becoming obsessive about knowing every detail of his life – his preferences, favorite places, food choices, and even how he likes his coffee. Disturbingly, she invades his privacy by eavesdropping on his private calls with his wife, Sharon. Lisa was originally hired as a temp, but the company had to extend her contract after one of the company’s workers, Marge (Bonnie Perlman), fell ill with food poisoning. After managing to stick for a few more days, Lisa intentionally starts placing herself in Derek’s proximity. She fabricates a false story about a heartbreak to gain Derek’s sympathy. Derek reciprocates and shares his own relationship issues to help her feel more at ease.
Lisa makes sexual overtures at Derek, thinking the latter is returning her interest. On Christmas Day, Lisa gets Derek intoxicated and follows him to the restroom. She immediately begins kissing Derek in an attempt to force herself on him. Derek pulls her away and storms out of the party. Lisa’s advances begin to show a noticeable effect on Derek’s demeanor. He starts pulling away and actively avoiding her at the office. Despite this, Lisa feels confident she could win Derek with her charms. In a misguided attempt, she intrudes into Derek’s car and flashes the lingerie she had brought explicitly for him. Derek asks her to leave, explaining that her actions can ruin their careers. Feeling the need to confide in someone, Derek tries to open up to Sharon. However, upon learning about Sharon’s brother-in-law’s office affair, he changes his mind.
Derek shares the unsettling details of Lisa’s behavior with Ben ( Jerry O’Connell), expressing his intention to report her to human resources. Ben cautions Derek about the possibility of Lisa lying and accusing Derek of making advances towards her. Despite this warning, Derek remains resolute in his decision and proceeds to initiate a formal complaint against Lisa. To his relief, he discovers that Lisa has resigned. With Lisa out of the picture, Derek shifts his focus towards his family. He starts dedicating more time to Sharon and their son, appreciating the newfound peace and freedom from the unsettling episode with Lisa.
Derek’s respite is short-lived, as Lisa inundates his computer with explicit pictures. To his dismay, Lisa also shows up at the resort where Derek is attending a work conference. She implores Derek to reconsider being with her now that they no longer work together. Derek once again rejects her advances, but Lisa discreetly slips something into his drink. Unaware, Derek finishes the glass and soon finds himself heavily intoxicated, providing Lisa the opportunity to accompany him to his hotel room. The next morning, Lisa persists, attempting to persuade him into a relationship. Derek reaches his breaking point and firmly expresses his lack of feelings for her and his unwillingness to love her. Devastated, Lisa retreats to Derek’s room and ingests a dangerous amount of sleeping pills.
Obsessed Ending Explained: Did Lisa Manage to Win Derek Over?
Lisa’s suicide attempt sets off an investigation, with Monica Reese (Christine Lahti) leading the case. Derek provides Reese with information that Lisa had been harassing him for weeks, pressuring him to be in a relationship with her. He also shares details about her inappropriate behavior, but Reese remains skeptical of his account. Sharon catches wind of the situation and, instead of trusting her husband, believes he’s having an affair. Derek attempts to persuade Sharon of his innocence, but she forces him out of the house. However, a struggling relationship is the least of Derek’s concerns. His boss, Joe (Bruce McGill), warns him he’ll lose his job if he finds any credibility in Lisa’s claims. Joe also transfers his ongoing projects to Ben.
Meanwhile, Lisa wakes up in the hospital and endeavors to sway Detective Reese into believing her story. She discloses how Derek lured her into his hotel room, promising an imminent divorce from his wife. Lisa weaves a web of lies, casting Sharon as the antagonist. She describes her as a possessive and controlling lady, trying to trap Derek. Lisa also surrenders her journal, a repository of carefully crafted falsehoods chronicling her fictional love story with Derek.
Derek decides to file a restraining order against Lisa, but Reese informs him that it’s unnecessary as Lisa has already left for San Diego with her sister. As the sands of time trickle away, Derek rekindles his relationship with Sharon. But Lisa is still hell-bent on ruining Derek’s life. She infiltrates Derek’s house, posing as Sharon’s friend, and abducts young Kyle from his crib. Derek and Sharon return and find Kyle missing. Derek desperately searches the house for his son and finds him sitting in the back seat of his car. In desperation, Derek reaches out to Reese, who reassures him she’s doing everything she can to find Lisa. In the meantime, she advises Derek to beef up his security systems.
Lisa contacts Patrick (Matthew Humphreys) and tricks him into revealing Derek and Sharon’s itinerary. Sharon is on her way to San Diego to celebrate her parents’ 30th anniversary. However, she forgets to set the alarm, necessitating her return home. Upon entering the house, she discovers Lisa in her bedroom. Lisa tries to persuade Sharon that Derek no longer loves her. Unbothered, Sharon attempts to call the police, but Lisa attacks her. Derek learns about Lisa’s presence in his house and immediately leaves for his home. He also contacts Detective Reese, requesting her to hurry to his house. Meanwhile, Lisa and Sharon continue to struggle in the attic. The floorboard gives way, and Lisa plunges through. Sharon extends her hand, but Lisa falls through the ceiling. Lisa attempts to get up again, but the chandelier crashes down on her, ultimately causing her death. The movie ends with Derek and Sharon sharing a warm hug. As they hold each other, a collective exhale of relief fills the air, marking the end of the trouble they’ve endured.
Was Lisa Obsessed or Deluded?
Obsession and delusion often intertwine, and Lisa was no exception. Her fixation on Derek began from their initial encounter and only deepened over time. Derek’s friendly behavior somehow misled her into believing he harbored romantic feelings for her. Her thoughts became increasingly distorted, clinging to the delusion that Derek reciprocated her desires. Contrary to what Lisa believed, Derek had clearly expressed his lack of romantic interest in her on multiple occasions. He was a devoted family man who could never consider cheating on his wife. Lisa’s decision to leave her job was also based on the false notion that working alongside Derek was the root of the issue. Failing to capture Derek’s affection, Lisa went to great lengths. She even tried to convince Sharon that Derek no longer loves her and is contemplating divorce.
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