[In Obsession,] De Palma has suppressed his own strong personal style … consciously manipulating [the familiar Hitchcockian] elements so that the suspense is maintained to the key decision and understanding of the final shot. It's a stylish and accomplished achievement….

Along with Ted Flicker's work De Palma's Greetings and its quasi sequel Hi Mom! were the most accurate expression of the late sixties in America…. These films lead to the flamboyance of Phantom of the Paradise while the comparatively subdued Get to Know Your Rabbit or Sisters edge towards Obsession….

One of the most entertaining films of the year, Obsession confirms De Palma and his collaborators as among the most talented of contemporary film makers.

Barrie Pattison, "Films of the Month: 'Obsession'," in Film (reprinted by permission of British Federation of Film Societies), No. 44, December, 1976, p. 6.