Movies and media seem fascinated by the concept of obsession, so much it's now termed as the ‘obsessed artist trope’. This trope depicts individuals who becomes so utterly consumed by their craft – whether it be music, dance or skating – that it overtakes and overshadows every aspect of their life.
The trope seems to suggest that only true greatness and perfection can be achieved at the cost of personal happiness and sometimes humanity. Whilst the characters of Andrew, Nina and Tonya symbolise commitment, dedication and persistence, their stories all equally serve as cautionary tales, warning against self-destruction, isolation and toxicity.
“I'd rather die drunk, broke at 34 and have people at a dinner table talk about me than live to be rich and sober at 90 and nobody remembered who I was.”- Andrew Nieman (Whiplash)
Whiplash follows Andrew Nieman, a student fixated on becoming one of the greatest drummers of his time. Like the classic obsessed artist, Andrew’s drive for perfection leads him to neglect his friends, father and girlfriend, all for the chance to achieve his goal. As a result, he even suffers personal injuries and self-inflicted harm, yet his obsession only pushes him forward. His story highlights the sinister side, and raises the question: Is it worth risking everything for the sake of achieving one’s goals?
“I just want to be perfect” – Nina Sayers (Black Swan)
The second quote comes from the film ‘Black Swan’, where Nina, a ballerina, becomes fixated on the idea of needing to be perfect in her role as the swan queen in Swan Lake. Not only is her drive for perfection resulting from herself, but from her mother’s impossibly high expectations too. Like Andrew, Nina sacrifices her mental health, relationships and sanity to achieve this ‘perfect’ role. Black Swan best depicts the psychological breakdown that inevitably results from this obsession, with Nina experiencing hallucinations, dissociations and an unavoidable paranoia. Nina’s story begs the question: is the price of self-destruction worth the fleeting feeling of triumph?
“Maybe you're just not as good as you think.”- Skating judge (I, Tonya)
Lastly, the third quote comes from the biopic, ‘I, Tonya’, which follows the life of Tonya Harding, a competitive figure skater. Rather than seeking greatness for its own sake, her obsession is driven by her desire to prove herself despite her challenging upbringing and abusive mother. Here we see how Tonya’s passion for the sport tragically leads her to succumbing to extreme lengths, by attacking her fellow competitor, Nancy Kerrigan. Tonya’s story emphasises the fine line between masterpiece and madness and the toll that the competitive world can take on individuals who are simply striving to achieve their goals.
All three movies raise the question: Is it worth it? Is it ever a good thing to sacrifice relationships and your mental health for the sake of personal achievement? Does ruining relationships and your sanity ever outweigh the euphoria of reaching your goals? These goals once reached, are temporary, while the damage to one’s personal life is long-lasting and sometimes irreversible.
Dreaming and driving yourself to achieve those dreams are often seen as an admirable human trait, but losing your humanity in the process, discredits all of that.
A question to ask yourself when watching these movies is: can we really root for someone who rids themselves of all humanity for the sake of achieving their dreams?