Kompromat

What promised to be a great movie, loosely based on real events, turned into a soap full of clichés and turns of events that lack verisimilitude. It is really sad that the screewriter/ the director felt the need to pack the film with over the top dramatic unrealistic eye-roll worthy plots and twists on top of the core storyline, wherever some understatement and restraint could have made this a great film. This story didn't deserve to be turned into melodramatic fromage.

However, the portrayal of the Russian system, specifically the prison and the people' interactions are realistic enough. The acting is great as well. It is entertaining enough for you to wait till the very expected end.

The term "kompromat" refers to a form of blackmail used by the Russian authorities to gain leverage over individuals, and it's a concept at the heart of this gripping thriller which is very loosely based on actual events.

Mathieu (Gilles Lellouche), a member of the French institute in Irkutsk, is arrested overnight by the Russian authorities and accused of a crime he did not commit. He soon realizes he is being used as a scapegoat in an elaborate setup orchestrated to frame him for a crime that never happened.

Left alone and isolated with no one to turn to, Mathieu must find a way to prove his innocence and escape. The journey is filled with tense moments as he navigates through corrupt officials, threats of violence, and an atmosphere of despair.

Gilles Lellouche gives a powerful performance in the lead role, conveying Mathieu's emotions with nuance and intensity. His performance is complemented by a top-notch supporting cast, making the movie an engaging experience. The cinematography is also noteworthy as it captures the claustrophobic atmosphere and oppressive mood of the setting.

The themes of KOMPROMAT also have a contemporary immediacy given the currently tense relationships between Russia and other European countries. It tells an important story about a system designed to control and manipulate its citizens and gives us insight into how our liberties can be taken away.

KOMPROMAT did feel a bit too long, but its intricate plot and detailed character development created a compelling narrative that kept me riveted until the very end.

I have seen most of the films that won Oscars this year, 2025. I will not mention them, because they are so bad that they do not deserve to be mentioned. I almost lose faith in the art of cinema and even in human being, because of the banality of these films. Meanwhile, high-quality films like this french one are forgotten in some streaming system and few people watch them. This is a suspense film that has all the requirements of a great film, everything about it is top notch: Acting, photography, editing, soundtrack, script. In short, it is a film that shows that the art of cinema still has a lot of breath and will not die any time soon. Thank you to the producers who made this gem, it is really good.

And his will to survive - well this is not a movie about boxing, so no pun intended. I assume you knew this anyway, but just wanted to make sure, you'd understand my method and my summary (head)lines. We have something that is based in reality or something that actually happened - I did not check what things were made up or exaggerated, in case you were wondering.

The movie is heightened for sure and has quite a few near misses and a lot of tension. You may be wondering what is happening at times, but the time frame and the timeline jumps are carefully chosen, so I reckon most will be able to follow ... well no pun intended again, since some in the movie seem unable to follow ... well the movie would not happen, if they did.

It may be a bit too long for its own good ... and I thought there was an ending 20-30 minutes before the movie actually ended ... we needed another highlight I assume ... can't just let the movie ... drown like that ...

A tale of fateful mysterious encounters. A promoter of culture a work horse is very well portrayed by Gilles. Something that's frequently remarkable about European cinema is quietness that builds up anxiousness. Kompromat got that distracting silence to which the thrills gets bombarded. A beautiful love story that's ill-fated yet pure and childish. Joanna Kulig was perfect in portraying the woman lost between worlds. Rest of the cast put up sincere performances too. Cinematography is excellent adapting to the mood of each moment. Kompromat is a simple story that's told right. Worth the time spent.