Erotic novelist Sadie Glass (Analeigh Tipton) has a complicated relationship with boyfriend Thierry. At a book reading, she meets Alex who invites her to his palatial estate. She brings along new acquaintance Francesca.

At first, I assumed this to be an arthouse 50 Shades movie. Then there is the turn into an arthouse Euro horror. In the end, it's an Eyes Wide Shut situation with a bit of blood. Its biggest problem is the lack of depth with Sadie. She's a cold fish and there is no way to engage with her character. None of the characters have much depth. The Euro horror could have worked but like the vastness of its palace setting, there is an emptiness to the movie. It has no tension and makes no connection with the audience. This might work if Sadie starts off as a mousy character and the erotic horror starts opening her up. As it stands, there is no character progression either. It has the semblance of style with limited substance.

This movie sounds intensely interesting but was so boring I started to Wikipedia the real history of the villa while watching it.

Great story line set-up: writer of erotic memoirs sees old bf who apparently is a dark bad dude. She dumps current dude to indulge in same old type of weekend (one last time) then goes back to life trying to stay away forever but its told so badly you don't know thats the story till after trying to piece together what they were trying to do. 3/4 in you still think its the beginning of the movie and are trying to figure out what is going on.

Then here's the thing given their world and accepting their premise I have no idea why hes this intensely bad dude, why shes crying and freaking out and conflicted about the whole thing, why the current dude is lame and hated and boring, why the dancer is so innocent and beloved. I just do not get it.

The setting is beautiful, the women are beautiful, the men are acceptable, the clothes are striking but they even messed that up. Its like they used too much HD and I can see the actress's bags under her eyes her varicose veins her spot of bad skin from past acme. For an erotic film, give me a fantasy I have bad skin and past acme thats not why someone would be interested in this film.

The clothes too while they were invested in them and are erotic and striking, clearly the director didn't know how to photograph them so they are there but are presented like a catalogue and everything was shot soooo close, no I do not need to see the hair ties in her hair I'm good.

Also the villa, the internet has more interesting and sweeping views, they could have done so much with but did not.

Even the dark crazy surreal scenes were...just eh not so much. At the very least they could have used a good soundtrack but atlas no on that as well.

Before the initial credits appear, Sadie (Analeigh Tipton) is engaged in an intense sexual act with her ex-boyfriend, bearded Alex (Jakob Cedergren). Interposed are brief back-shots of her in various sexual proclivities.

After the credits, Sadie is the guest of honor at a book tour in Turin, Italy, where, in describing her autobiography, she relates her sexual feelings to a gathering. Her latest boyfriend is Thierry (Valentin Merlet). After the gathering, Alex, who is around, invites her to a seamy club, where she meets Francesca (Marta Gastini),who is as attractive as Sadie is. Alex invites Sadie and Francesca to his business-partner's villa, really a 17th century walled fortress decorated with magnificent art and statues. For some insipid reason she accepts.

At the villa Sadie and Francesca take drugs (pills) with alcohol. Sadie develops a lesbian relationship with Francesca. Meanwhile, bizarre rituals occur and masked guests attend wearing strange attire. There is a ritualistic killing, a "black magic" type of ceremony. Is it all a dream? Bloodstained fingers say no. When Sadie questions Alex the next day, he says she should have known what she was getting into.

Thierry then appears at the villa for some reason, but is rebuffed by sexually-charged Sadie. Later it is Thierry who is tied up and on the sacrificial agenda. Sadie is given a knife. What will Sadie do? Will she ever escape her dilemma? Is her name a derivative of sadism?

This is an artsy type of film like "Last Year at Marienbad" (1961),an entirely different film, but also difficult to understand. Despite its colorful sets, erotic scenes, and on-location filming, "Compulsion" makes little sense. The screenwriting and plot are weak, and the film unmemorable.