Kompromat (2022) User Reviews

From Russia with the ankle bracelet

[limeberry7 · 5/10 · 20 February 2023]

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.

Very long

[CarolineFR69 · 5/10 · 8 October 2022]

This is kind of exactly what I have against French movies. The story is good, the actors are good, the images are good, but the way it is filmed is way too long. It's as if there are 2 different kinds of movies, the comedies and the artsy ones. This one tries to be artsy, with pan shots, and repeating itself so that we understand how much the poor guy waited. I love movies, and I love movies that are a piece of art, because it's gorgeous, and yet it keeps you interested throughout, without needong to take a nap. But this one fails at it. It felt very long, which transpired with me looking at my watch around the 1 hour mark to see how long I was supposed to stay there still. I think the real story of Yoann Barbereau would have been better, rather than VERY loosely basing the movie on it. So much questions remain in the end. Too bad...

Great thriller

[avindugunasinghe · 7/10 · 10 August 2023]

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.

Conspiracy, hunt and a fugitive

[AvionPrince16 · 7/10 · 9 September 2022]

For once im pretty convinced by a french movie and that "Kompromat" was pretty nice and have some nice plot in it. The story of conspiracy its not new: we already seen that kind of story but not one that engage Russian governments and the French governments together and accused the russians to put some fake evidences to put a man in danger with the justice because of that. Fake documents and a fake statements of her wife that will know later was forced to make it. I enjoyed also the performances of the actors (gilles Lelouche was pretty interesting but when it come to the sad moments and when he needed to cry i didnt really believe in his sadness: i dont know why but it put me off everytime of the movie and feel that he is playing feel like fake tears but dont know if its only me who think that but that feeling put me off), Svetlana (the dancer who maybe because of her all things get started of the conspiracy because her husband is in relation with the russian organisation and caught them dancing together ). I enjoyed their relationship and how things turned and how Svetlana really help the french man and feel like a god for our fugitive. And the sex scene in the car was pretty sensual. And at the end, our French hero get into a new country where he find his daughter and the police from the new country: where the russians dont have any power here so they let the French out. I found also some shots who can really be predicted: when they danced and the angle of the cam have in it Mathieu, Svetlana and the father of the husband. Was pretty predicted there that the man was involved in the "Kompromat" who accused the French but except that i really like the hunt of the French and even if i found some events pretty predictable, i found the movie interesting enough to make us follow the plot until the end and discover the truth and the persons who are behind this conspiracy and how he get rid of the russians in his hunt. The part where Mathieu get in the french embassy in the russian country make the situation pretty risky for the french government and they clearly want to avoid complications with the russian governements so they adviced to turn himself to the russians and i found the situation pretty believable(i need also to say that movie have true facts in it and even if they take clearly some liberty in the facts). And i found that part pretty believable in a realism that the movie try to aim even if sometimes Svetlana act like a real god and seem pretty illogical but its ok i guess because of her husband so we can still believe the realism of their relationship and except that it was interesting. Nice movie and it end pretty nice for our french man: he get rescued by autorities but he will see again his daughter. It really have some tense moments and a rythm sometimes not really even but still make us interesting by the plot even if i found it pretty simple and not really that complex. But i mean it still pleasant to follow Svetlana and Mathieu. Go check it. I was pretty thrill from the beginning until the end and thats a good thing. Go check it.

Kept me riveted until the very end

[steveinadelaide · 8/10 · 2 December 2022]

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.

The love story ruined everything

[Karamakate · 4/10 · 6 February 2023]

It started out well with a compelling intrigue but as soon as he gets in prison he turns to one of the biggest morons I've seen on cinema.

The connection between the lead and the love interest isn't there at all. I don't get how one dance can turn them into destined lovers. The actors barely had any chemistry as well.

The most stupid sequence is the sex scene. Who in the hell stops for sex when you have Spetsnaz hunting you all over Russia. That was the most ridiculous scenes I've ever witnessed.

France has for a long time been great at cinema but with Hollywood scripts like this I fear a downfall.

Beautiful Project

[grantdoug · 8/10 · 5 February 2023]

"It's too long", someone wrote. Well, I disagree. First of all, French directors don't generally hew to the mad pacing American filmgoers are used to. This is quite obvious - you have to go into the theater with a different notion of what an action film should look like.

The film is extremely tight all the way through. Extraordinary attention to detail, and the cinematography is outstanding. Just beautiful. Yes, the plot is somewhat convoluted - but it's based on an incredible true story. It's also timely in that it informs the audience of the true terror people are living in, in the totalitarian state of Russia. G-d knows how many people are wrongfully imprisoned. This is the story of a man who, incredibly, was able to escape the clutches of the Russian state. It's worth watching for that reason alone.

incredible movie

[emmabill-55754 · 10/10 · 4 April 2023]

Gilles Lelouche played amazingly and carried this unbelievable true story. It keeps you stressed for hours and completely shocked when you realise everything is true.

The atmosphere is amazing, the cold russia, and every little details that saved his life.

Some scene are so well played that you just want to hit the " -10 sec" to live the moment again. Some credit have so be given to the russian army force actor who brings the horror through the screen.

One of the best movie of the year, for the movie but first to know this story that will let you speechless.

Don't waist you time and go check now.

Like it were 1885 ....

[anxiousgayhorseonketamine · 8/10 · 1 January 2023]

I am personally a self-avowed Russia watcher and have been since the 70s so anything to do with Russia especially society and the way in which it has evolved in some ways and not in others is of utmost interest to me

So this one here was always going to be of great interest. It basically shows institutions functioning the way they were under the Czars of old times (The Cheka begat the NKVD which begat The KGB which begat the current FSB) the modus operandi has not really shifted much ...

It also shows on the other hand the spinelessness of the French diplomatic corps in this case but admittedly could be cut and pasted to almost any diplomatic corps anywhere in the world at any time.

I was fortunate enough to catch the original account of the real hero of this piece the Alliance Française Director to whom this story really happened on radio. Two of the more dramatic events in the film I do not recall happened in real life or the "help" but then again the filmmakers here had to have a punchy story and they certainly do. So they added grittier elements.

The drummed-up charges and the Kompromat (cool terrifying word) were described pretty much as were. Insofar as I know the man to whom this happened still does not know exactly to this day who was responsible but it is pretty much give or take what is recounted here .

As we said before this could be Czarist Russia and or any other fine work Georgian Stalin produced in his finest hour.

So here they got the storyline spot-on and added dramatic events they got the dialogue really good in French and Russian they used actors who could possibly be seen as Russians and many of them actually were Russians.

As regards the acting the main protagonist Gilles Lellouche is fairly good here but personally I have seen him mostly in comedy and he has a pi..-taker face which doesn't really suit drama you expect him to say something inappropriate at any time and when it comes to crying scenes as someone else has pointed out he doesn't pass muster. See him in Les infidèles (2012)

The Polish actress here Joanna Kulig is thoroughly excellent maybe a tad too torrid for the role and she does the misery bit to a tee

The main FSB baddie of the peace Michael Gor a true muscovite actor is also really excellent here good sense of menace

All in all when I realised it was the tale of the story I'd heard on the radio only a few months ago maybe even a few weeks I thought oh no they are going to make a mess of this; and then I realized they hadn't this is really really gripping...

The use of streets and locales is excellent too you really get a sense of Siberia I do not know exactly where it was filmed I see from the credits many Lithuanian names and maybe this indicates some of it might have been filmed in Lithuania but in the credits it also mentions Russia so I do not quite understand how they could've got the green light to film this in Russia but maybe when I find out more I will come back and correct if I got the wrong end of the stick.

Highly recommended for any Russia-watcher any person interested in the way in which Russian society is moving forward or not also a great indictment of the diplomatic corps in this case the French but as mentioned before probably would be the same with many other countries.

Extremely accurate depiction of how 'things are done' in Russia

[arunasbaratinskas · 9/10 · 9 March 2024]

This is the kind of movie that everyone living in civilised and comfortable prosperous calm world must see. Everyone just living his own life, enjoying moments with friends and family. But if you live in Russia, it is like if Alice on the other side of the mirror. As soon as in nowadays Russia, you will easily learn that the rule of law doesn't exist. That anyone with even smallest grasp of power uses it to his own benefit. That human life is worthless - own citizens, and foreigners - even less. That there are no logical explanation nor motives for prosecuting or jailing an innocent man. Everything runs on an almost medieval barbaric logic. All that is Russia nowadays.

Welcome to Russia

[searchanddestroy-1 · 11 March 2023]

Jerome Salle seems to be specialized in adventure thrillers: LARGO WINCH 1 and 2, ZULU, only THE ODYSSEY was not a thriller. But this movie definitely is. And the Russian element in this film released just during the war in Ukraine sounds very strange, what a coincidence. Well this is a classical international thriller with no great surprise, except an excellent directing and acting, but where nothing is done to attract tourists to visit Russia and its tolerance, his friendly behavior towards foreigners; I mean the authorities, not the common folk. Gilles Lelouche is awesome, as usual. A bit long, though and I repeat, unfortunately predictable.

An excellent thriller in a very plausible plot

[laurent-chenet · 10/10 · 12 December 2023]

You don't get to see guts squeezing movies like this one all days. This one is joining the many few others collected through decades on my 'little jewels shelve'.

This quite a simple story, elaborated around true facts, with the necessary pinch of salt that makes it great.

I honestly give a 10 because I don't see how they could have executed that script in any better way.

If you like this style, it will be hard to dislike this one.

The music, the dialogues and the casting are prefect. The political aspects are being swiftly integrated, enough to be consistant, but not enough to let you rest anytime soon until the end.

I'd say this is yet another underrated movie on IMDb. Perhaps a niche that does not suits everyone's desires.

Definitely meeting more than my expectations.

A very good movie

[sinisa_maricic · 10/10 · 7 September 2023]

Showing a life of a normal person being prosecuted in russia for just dancing with a woman who is a wife of a russian authority. This happens also in real life. So it is a good story movie to watch. And to learn how things work in russia but also in the balkans. I have learned from this movie a lot. That russia is controlling the balkans since the reality is in balkans like it is presented in this movie.

A real based story. Additinally the man was going literally through hell. Like it is in real life.

A few stupid people with a bit of power can do a lot of damage, stupid things and nonsense for no basic reason. Or for a stupid reason. Must watch 10rated.

Eye of the (russian) tiger

[kosmasp · 8/10 · 27 May 2023]

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 ...