Obsession is a killer! But I Can Fix Him (No Really I Can)
“The universe is telling me that I’m meant to save him […] we can make a real change.”
With Sweetness, Emma Higgins delivers a wildly confident directorial debut that dives headfirst into the chaotic world of teenage stan culture—equal parts hilarious, unhinged (it takes a turn I didn’t quite see coming), and weirdly relatable at times. The film follows 16-year-old Rylee Hill (Kate Hallett), a social outcast whose life is consumed by her obsession with pop star Payton Adler (Herman Tømmeraas). Ever since her mother passed away, Rylee has been struggling to keep it together—living with her dad (Justin Chatwin), dealing with bullying at school, and clinging to the only thing that makes her feel seen: Payton’s music. Music that saved her from becoming messed up… or at least, that’s what she says.
Higgins immediately hooks her audience with a visually striking opening and tight pacing that carries through the entire film. The concert sequences are electric—sharply edited, pulsing with energy, and underscored by surprisingly good pop music. Fangirls, I felt so seen! And you will too!
What makes Sweetness more than just a fun and unhinged ride is the precision of its performances, editing, and creative choices, as well as its surprising emotional depth. Higgins knows how to build tension and unease through deliberate camera placement. At times, we’re positioned like voyeurs, watching Rylee from a distance—reminiscent of Pascal Plante’s Red Rooms (2023). In other moments, Higgins frames scenes like surveillance footage—cold, static, almost too intimate. And at certain points, the camera lingers uncomfortably close to Rylee, only to slowly zoom out, revealing just how small and alone she is in her world. These subtle choices are incredibly effective, capturing the isolating feeling of living in your own inner world and the quiet devastation of being ignored.
And then there’s the delusion. Rylee’s parasocial relationship with Payton escalates as she convinces herself that he needs saving—and that she’s the one to do it. After a dramatic eye-contact moment at a concert (while he’s playing the piano and singing “All I Need Is You”), she fully commits to her imagined bond with him. It’s cringey, bold, and totally compelling. In this house, we support women’s rights… but also Rylee’s wrongs.
The film does a brilliant job of blurring the line between admiration and obsession without ever mocking Rylee. Instead, it explores how vulnerable young people—especially teenage girls—often find themselves pouring love into unreachable figures as a coping mechanism for their loneliness. It reflects stan culture—an obsessive, overzealous behavior in which someone displays intense loyalty and admiration for celebrities, musicians, or public figures. It’s hard to explain or to understand unless you’ve gone through that kind of behavior. But sometimes, it’s easier for people to find comfort in watching movies, performances, and interviews—it makes them feel seen and understood. But the thing is, just because you “know” a celebrity doesn’t mean you actually know them. So much of what we see is carefully curated. It’s a performance. And when that illusion breaks, the fallout can be devastating.
Higgins also nails the aesthetic. The production design is pure early-2000s-meets-TikTok-era chaos—Rylee’s bedroom is filled with glossy posters, fairy lights, and magazine clippings. It’s every obsessive teenage girl’s dream, and the whole film carries that same energy: a little messy, totally passionate, and beautifully unfiltered. And let's not forget the music, which plays a key role in building tension throughout the story. Not only does it slap (no, seriously), but it also deepens Rylee’s emotional landscape, letting us sit inside her delusions, her hopes, and her unraveling sense of reality. The vibes? Immaculate.
Sweetness is a standout debut that captures what it means to be a teenage girl completely absorbed in her inner world. But it’s not just about fandom. It’s about grief, obsession, isolation, and the very human need to feel connected to someone who seems to understand you—even if they don’t know you exist. Kate Hallett’s performance is fantastic, capturing Rylee’s vulnerability and chaos with honesty and humor. Emma Higgins is a filmmaker to keep on our radar, and I can’t wait to see what she does next.
Sweetness just had its Canadian premiere at the Fantasia International Film Festival and is coming soon to theatres.
Photo: Fantasia Film Festival
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