It felt so inconceivable that it was surreal to watch
If you know what KOMPROMAT means, you know what this film is about!
Is it conceivable that a French diplomat, a public servant, the head of Siberia’s Alliance Française, can get framed by Russia’s FSB? Would Russia’s local authorities truly imprison someone on a fabricated crime for causing offence? Does he escape? Is this just another thriller? Imagine a political thriller that keeps you on edge from start to finish, and in that, you have KOMPROMAT.
There are several aspects in this film that for most audiences, make the reality of KOMPROMAT unfathomable. To cater for this, the introductory text in the film notifies the audience of it being loosely based on the true events of French diplomat Mathieu; this prevents the film from being ‘just another thriller’, where unbelievable luck in an escape plan makes it too far-fetched to keep you on edge.
Furthermore, scenes of the film flit between different parts of Mathieu’s life after his posting to Irkutsk, Siberia. These are scenes with his wife (Elisa Lasowski), his daughter (Olivia Malahieude), a staged cultural event (as part of Mathieu’s work for Alliance Francaise), a social work event, and a hunting day with his Russian financier. The time- scenes construct the story. Although they are not definitive, they provide context for him being a target of the authorities. Credit for the effective script goes to Jérôme Salle and Caryl Ferey, with Salle also directing the film.
Gilles Lellouche’s role as the protagonist was key to making this film a win, as it centres on Mathieu’s plight. There are scant displays of anger, sadness or distress in this film; for those that exist Lellouche seems somewhat constrained in his performance, therefore it makes it hard to relate to Mathieu. However, as the entire situation feels impossible, this restrained display of emotion instead allows for a surrealness feel of the film, as opposed to an emotional one.
Multiple award-winning Cold War’s Joanna Kulig as Svetlana brings more heart to the film, as someone who is stuck in an impossible dilemma. She successfully displays integrity and honesty with resourcefulness, all that is needed for an accomplice. She prevents viewers from becoming disconnected from the emotional restraint of the protagonist, with scenes of their affection for each other scattered throughout. Igor Jijikine is fierce in his role as the intimidating officer in pursuit, and Danila Vorobyev’s performance as Svetlana’s broken-down husband, compelling.
One of the most enjoyable parts of this thriller was the simplicity of the set production and directness of the plot. Using the landscapes of Lithuania with no special effects, aided by a script with no fancy dialogues; it is set in natural places, with natural conversations, making it a thriller that will appeal to many.
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