Compulsion (2008)

Good movie, but best of all time? Hardly . . .

Instead, you get a movie that's enjoyable enough, but leaves you feeling like it could have been much, much more.

It’s fine. It's literally the definition of a fine movie. You’ve seen it before, you know every beat and outcome before the characters even do. Only question is how much escapism you’re looking for.

The story, direction, characters, and writing/dialogue is akin to taking a tranquilizer shot to the neck, but everything else was so well done.

I watched Compulsion a few years ago and having got the chance to watch it again last night I must admit my opinion on it has changed from the first time I watched it. What I remembered as being a brilliant thriller was actually very slow & cringy. I remembered it being sexy but this time round I found myself watching Ray Winston from behind a cushion. The story did hold my attention and so I would recommend but just to warn anyone with a weak stomach you do see Ray Winston naked which ain't pretty. The story is far fetched but does give hope to over weight middle aged men.

I found this to be a smart, original and well made TV-movie. It was interesting to the very end and the ending itself was completely non-conformist (which I loved). The film even tackles some of the problems modern women face in traditional societies and their fight (plight) to free themselves of these ancient shackles. Also, it paints a very realistic picture of today's multicultural high-class society in London.Some very decent acting throughout and good, unobtrusive sound. Coming from a TV production, a very pleasant surprise. If only more movies where made this way...

Compulsion is a glossy, made for TV psychological thriller that provides 90 minutes or so of solid entertainment. Set in present day London, it tells the story of Anjika (played by Parminder Nagra). Anjika is the daughter of very wealthy Indian parents. She has just graduated from Cambridge University and, unbeknown to her parents, is in a relationship with a young Englishman, Alex (Ben Aldridge). Anjika's father wants her to marry the son of an Indian business partner of his, but Anjika is reluctant to do so. She wishes to pursue her own life with Alex and to free herself from her parents' stifling and controlling clutches. Her father's chauffeur, Flowers (Ray Winstone), offers to help Anjika resolve her problem. He is obsessed with Anjika - the "compulsion" of the title - and frames her unwanted suitor on a drugs charge. Things spiral out of control from there.Compulsion is undemanding but gripping. It is well-acted and scripted. And it deals with - admittedly somewhat cursorily - the issues of arranged marriage, cultural integration and psychological obsession in an entertaining way. The plot is a little implausible - I cannot say why I think that to be the case without revealing too much of what happens - but that is often the case with thrillers of this sort. This is a programme that is worth watching. 7/10.

This is a very very very good thriller so please don't let you get fooled by the low rating! Watch this movie, because it is not at all the kind of story it initially seems to be. Anjika (Parminder Naga) finished her studies at the university together with her boyfriend Alex. Anjika is Indian but her wealthy family lives in Londen, but they don't know she has a boyfriend. Her parents now are arranging her marriage with the son of her father's business-partner. Anjika is perplex and refuses the marriage. But her father is persistent. But what initially seems to be a romantic chic flick, changes into a dark erotic thriller . . there is a totally unexpected twist in the story! So it becomes a highly erotic thriller, with the very beautiful Parminder Naga playing a character that evolves in a way no one would ever suspect. . ! . . there I've said more than enough . . . see it and you won't be disappointed!