Film

I Want You

Name: I Want You
Genre: Thriller, Crime, Drama, Music, Romance
Released: 1998
Cast: Rachel Weisz, Alessandro Nivola, Luka Petrušić, Labina Mitevska, Carmen Ejogo

Drama

A brief, tense thriller about obsession and the collateral damage it leaves behind. Rachel Weisz navigates a dark romantic entanglement that spirals into something far more dangerous. Moody 90s British cinema at its most intimate and uncomfortable—less about plot mechanics than the psychological weight of desire and control.

TMDb rating

2.8

If you liked this

Play Misty for Me1971

Clint Eastwood's directorial debut about a DJ stalked by an obsessed listener. It's the template for every erotic thriller that followed, but the original still crackles with genuine psychological dread and sexual tension.

But The pacing is deliberate, even for 1971. If you need constant plot movement, this will feel slow.

Bitter Lake2015

A Norwegian film about desire and consequence that matches *I Want You* in its refusal to make obsession romantic. Gorgeous cinematography, morally murky characters, absolutely gripping once it has you.

But Very bleak. There are no good people here and the film doesn't offer you an easy way out emotionally.

Under the Skin2014

Scarlett Johansson as an alien predator in Glasgow. Like *I Want You*, it's hypnotic and unsettling, built on atmosphere and the dread of desire. Slow-burn cinema that trusts the audience completely.

But Extremely slow. Long stretches with minimal dialogue. If you want narrative clarity, this will frustrate you.

Not sure tonight? Get a pick in a minute, starting from I Want You

The wildcard

Something you would not have found on your own.

The Man Who Fell to Earth1976

Both films use sexual and romantic entanglement as a form of alienation. The protagonist is seduced into a situation they don't fully understand, where desire becomes a trap.

David Bowie as an alien trying to adapt to Earth. Languid, disorienting science fiction that's really about displacement, desire, and being consumed by a foreign world. It shares *I Want You*'s unease about attraction and vulnerability.

But Glacially paced and conceptual. The narrative is deliberately vague. Many viewers find it pretentious or simply boring, and I understand the objection.

The Comfort of Strangers1990

Schrader directing Christopher Walken and David Bowie in a Pinter adaptation about tourists lured into danger by a charming couple. Creeping menace wrapped in politeness and good wine—the tone here is exactly *I Want You*'s cousin.

But It's theatrical and abstract rather than realistic. The strangeness is the point, but it won't feel like grounded drama.

Possession1981

Andrzej Żuławski's nightmarish breakdown of a marriage, all screaming and tentacles and Berlin. It's about obsession and the violent end of intimacy. Absolutely unhinged but undeniably powerful.

But Aggressively weird and incomprehensible to some viewers. The metaphors are surreal. Not everyone will understand what they're watching and that's fine.

In a Lonely Place1950

Humphrey Bogart as a Hollywood director accused of murder, spiraling into paranoia and rage. The film is interested in how suspicion and obsession corrode a relationship from the inside. Noir perfection.

But It's patient and conversational. There's no car chases or action. Some find mid-century Hollywood thrillers too stiff.

Swimming Pool2003

François Ozon's film about a writer and her rival at a French villa, where desire and competitiveness blur together. Sensual, witty, and genuinely twisted beneath its Mediterranean surface.

But The ending divides people sharply. Some feel cheated. It's also quite slight compared to its ambitions.

The Bedroom Window1987

Curtis Hanson directing, based on a Simenon novel. A man lies to protect his affair and finds himself implicated in a murder. It's a smart B-movie thriller about how small lies metastasize.

But It's well-crafted but a bit mechanical. The characters are vehicles for plot rather than fully alive people, and that shows.

Pan's Labyrinth2006

Both films use intimate emotional stakes against a backdrop of moral corruption and danger. Both are about people desperately seeking connection in worlds that punish them for wanting.

Guillermo del Toro's fairy tale set during Franco's Spain. A girl searching for escape and connection in a dark world. It's whimsical and horrifying, and the obsessions—with belonging, with safety, with wonder—carry real consequences.

But It's a children's fantasy that's not actually for children. The violence is sudden and genuinely traumatic. Fantasy aesthetics can mislead people about the actual content.