A Perfect Enemy

In this intriguing psychological thriller, esteemed Polish architect Jeremiasz (played by Cold War star Tomasz Kot) has a random encounter with talkative young Dutch woman Texel (Athena Strates), which takes a sinister turn after they are stranded in a Paris airport lounge while waiting for a flight. Uptight Jeremiasz soon tires of Texel's incessant chatter, until his curiosity is piqued by stories about her past: one disgusting, one scary and the last "ending with love". As her life unfolds in flashback, Jeremiasz is left to wonder whether Texel is a fantasist, a stalker or something altogether more dangerous. Kot and Strates give suitably enigmatic performances, and Spanish director Kike Maillo neatly uses ambiguous storytelling to create a chamber piece with plenty of twists and turns. That makes this mystery imminently watchable, if a slight case of style over substance.