"Enduring Love" is a creepy and mesmerizing thriller about a man who becomes obsessed with another man after meeting him in a ballooning accident.

The film, based on a suspenseful novel by Ian McEwan, does a better job of getting into a deviant mindset than Brett Easton Ellis’s "American Psycho" novel. The film version of "Enduring Love" plays like a cinematic equivalent to the Police song, "Every Breath You Take," which is also from the point of view of a stalker.

The competent direction is by the relatively unknown, Roger Michell. He hasn’t done many films, but he never repeats himself, and his oeuvre is promisingly eclectic. He’s done a film dealing with pop mysticism ("The Buddha of Suburbia"), an ethnic romantic comedy ("Notting Hill"), and a character based social drama ("Changing Lanes"). "Enduring Love" is his first psychological thriller, and he shows he has some mastery over the basic genre conventions.

The film begins with Joe and Claire on a picnic in the idyllic Oxford countryside. Their romantic bliss is interrupted when they witness the crash of a hot air balloon. A young boy survives and Joel, along with other onlookers, helps the boy when a violent wind threatens to carry him away.

Another survivor named Jed believes that he and Joe were brought together for a divine purpose. Jed begins to make Joe uncomfortable by following him around obsessively. Eventually, Jed becomes jealous of Claire and begins to menace her as well.

The plot itself is fairly routine, but the film is elevated by the fleshed out characterizations, and some fine acting by the whole cast. Rhys Ifans, in particular, stands out and he brings a manic intensity to his performance. In one scene, he looks at the camera, and the way he smiles screams out insanity.

"Enduring Love" stacks up pretty well against some of the other obsessive love films. It doesn’t come close to equaling "Play Misty for Me" or "Vertigo," but it sure beats "Basic Instinct," "Obsession" and "Fatal Attraction."