Compulsion

Don't be fooled by the first 10 minutes, don't zap away – you are in for a surprisingly good psycho-thriller ride which keeps you guessing again and again – and you might be quite wrong! – and keeps giving the screw one more turn. Just don't ask for credibility. The script provides too little background on one of the leading characters – but then credibility is not what you necessarily are looking for in a psycho thriller made for TV. The story shows us the life of a wealthy British-Indian family. Daughter Anjika has just finished her studies in Cambridge and her father has selected an appropriate groom for her. But Anjika has a secret boyfriend, Alex – penniless, of course! – and doesn't want an arranged marriage. And there is the chauffeur, Flowers, who doesn't only drive the family members, but seems to be the keeper of everybody's secrets. He has been in love with Anjika for a long time….. It is difficult to say more or put in some criticism without giving too much away. The script is uneven and full of cracks, some of the dialog is trite, but you will be rewarded with great performances by Ray "Sexy Beast" Winstone and Parminder Nagra.

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.

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.

What a thoughtfully, minutely elaborated plot! This movie delivers everything you would expect of a contemporary drama but without giving in to your expectations. It is a by the book three act drama with introduction, intrigue and denouement. Do not read any external reviews before watching this superbly molded film if you want to enjoy the suspense it provides. Its main theme, as I see it, is the impact of sexual and erotic urges on our lives and where they will take us under certain circumstances. Its style is sound, solid, down to earth, not in the least arty or over-ambitious. Its figures are believable and psychologically thought-out.

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...