1960 brought forth some remarkable suspense films, notably Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho and Michael Powell’s Peeping Tom. Heartthrob calls to mind Peeping Tom; however, I find myself feeling some understanding for Tom, who was an abused child turned psychopath and ended his life in a manner mirroring his killings. It seems completely unreasonable to extend that same kind of empathy toward Heartthrob's Henry. The film explores the depths of Henry’s infatuation with a woman named Sam. Their relationship starts with conflict, then progresses through deception, obsessive violence, and constant monitoring. Henry is deeply enamored with Sam; at one point, he even mentions to her mother in passing how easily he could use an object to harm her. His killings are straightforward, uncomplicated, and we don't witness any resistance from his victims or a police inquiry, seemingly because the director portrays him as exceptionally clever. As the story nears its conclusion, it’s revealed that Henry has restrained Sam’s mother, for reasons unclear, and then he summons his beloved. She finds her mother, assists in her escape, and we are shown a final scene. I don't perceive Henry as intelligent; instead, he comes across as deceitful, unfaithful, and a pitiable murderer consumed by obsession. As for Sam, I view her as self-centered—she continues to have feelings for him simply because she’s the target of a teenage killer’s fixation, disregarding the deaths of her friends and demonstrating a lack of genuine moral concern.

Source on TMDB