‘Sweetness’ (2026) Review – Dark Tale Of Obsession Is Anything But Sweet

Sweetness is anything but sweet. Today, fans attach themselves to their favorite stars and form parasocial relationships; the line between passion and obsession blurs. Often, I find myself returning to Rob Reiner’s Misery for a film that shows the dark side of fandom and how prescient it has been in predicting the split between fans and celebrities. Here in Sweetness, the journey is an uncomfortable look of obsession and worship. While the story at times becomes overly over-the-top, the film strikes a dark note, delivering an ominous, bleak ending.

The story opens, introducing us to Rylee (Kate Hallett), a teenage girl living with her dad (Justin Chatwin). Rylee is shown to be isolated in her home life and bullied at school. Her only friend, Sidney (Aya Furukawa), knows her only tangentially. Around Rylee’s world revolves the rockstar Payton Adler (Herman Tømmeraas). What starts as a mere schoolgirl crush becomes a tragic web of obsession. After a chance encounter with Adler, Rylee witnesses his spiral into addiction. As a result, she resolves to be the one to ‘fix him’. What starts as an act of charity devolves into kidnapping and control, all in the perverse sense of love. 

Right from the start, this is a dark film. It draws comparisons to Misery by the nature of an obsessive fan holding their idol hostage and going to great lengths to keep up the charade. There are similarities and certainly inspirations found here, but the subtext is much more dire and ultimately tragic. There is no doubt people like Annie Wilkes exist, but that film and its portrayal brush a cinematic polish that ties up the loose threads. While it shines a spotlight on mental illness and obsession, here in Sweetness, the examination feels more introspective, like being put under a microscope. 

The core of this film explores how, in our 24/7 media culture, fans form parasocial relationships with celebrities, some might even say parasitic. The Instagramification of lives and the presence of phones in everyone’s palms bring an intimacy unimaginable. For a character like Rylee, her love of Adler and his music is a silo through which she can escape the harsh realities of her world. The problem is that once she enters that silo, reality and fantasy blur, creating a topsy-turvy perception of what is a one-sided relationship. 

The story here also gives credence to Adler as a tragic figure. He struggles with addiction from the onset. This allows Rylee to see herself as his savior when everyone around him has left him to twist in the wind. It is this very nature of ‘fixing him’ that forces Rylee to make choices that turn compassion into cruelty and caring into sickness. 

Now, where the film’s credibility strains is the lengths to which Rylee goes to keep love captive. Even though the film aims to be dark and serious, some of the antics that progress give the film a black comedic effect. I don’t believe this is by design. However, the measures Rylee undertakes are becoming increasingly exaggerated and over-the-top, to the point that the tension almost dissolves.

The issue here is that the script is a tad overwritten. For a ninety-minute film, an extra fifteen minutes feels like padding. The film’s thesis ultimately arrives in full in the first hour and ten minutes. As for the final twenty minutes, we are left straining our credibility to the limit. The ending leaves a lot unsaid. It will either unite the whole experience or leave audiences wanting a bit more resolve. 

Still, despite the shortcomings in pacing and questionable story choices, Sweetness on the whole is a dark examination of help in the name of love and how even the best intentions can have perverse underpinnings. Ultimately, this is a film that is sure to strike a chord. In the modern age of celebrity worship, it leaves us with a taint of anything but sweetness. 

Sweetness is currently available on Digital and VOD courtesy of Saban Films.