Featured Audience Ratings

• Spencer S

  
  This film does so much with real life events and yet also says something new about psychological horror, thrillers, and independent films. This is inspired by the true events surrounding a crank caller, which led to many sexual assaults and some confused restaurant employees and their… More
  This film does so much with real life events and yet also says something new about psychological horror, thrillers, and independent films. This is inspired by the true events surrounding a crank caller, which led to many sexual assaults and some confused restaurant employees and their managers. This film takes place in one particular franchise where the Friday rush is proving to be difficult for an overwhelmed manager trying to deal with so many things at once. Suddenly a phone call comes in from a police officer, who tells the manager that one of her employees has been suspected of stealing a customer's money out of her purse, and the manager needs to keep the employee in the back room until they can arrive from her house where they have found drugs and other paraphernalia. The office says all this with an authority and curtness that leads the manager to believe his every word, and he is so empathetic and persuasive as well that she takes it all in stride. The restaurant continues to hum, but the sick perversion of the caller continually leads to the debasement of the worker who hasn't done anything wrong. The film is a study into the psychological process that a person can use with authority of the law to screw with people without them seriously considering the logic behind these commands. Everyone seems to blindly obey this faceless man although there is no reason to, especially legally. Of course several employees do question the validity of the line of questioning, but when it comes down to it, the questioning is often met with an argument from the officer and they are reprimanded by the manager. It comes to pass that this girl, who is holed up in the back of the restaurant, not given any rights, stripped, and made to comply with the demands of a voice without identification, is hurt. This film does well at not exploiting the situation or the true victim of these events, and opens up a dialogue about what you would do in the same situation. The way it wraps itself up and distinguishes it as something that really happens was also very well done, and this film does so much for how truly small it is, which is just so impressive.

• Reid V

  
  Compliance is essentially a horror film without a body count. It is not only one hell of a tough sit, but one that has terrible implications for humanity. Phillip Zimbardo in his book "The Lucifer Effect" shows how when average people are in the right circumstances, they… More
  Compliance is essentially a horror film without a body count. It is not only one hell of a tough sit, but one that has terrible implications for humanity. Phillip Zimbardo in his book "The Lucifer Effect" shows how when average people are in the right circumstances, they are capable of incredible evils. If Zimbardo's theory were on trial, Compliance would be exhibit A. Starting as an average day, local fast food employee Becky soon finds herself the victim of a prank call. One that should have easily been dimissed, but due to societal, occupational, & a variety of other pressures, is allowed to flourish into a full-blown case of sexual assault. Through a constant establishment of authority & an acceptance of all responsiblity, this miscreant gains access and is allowed control of a group of people who are accomplishing his nefarious deeds; all whilst believing that what they are doing is simply a part of some banal protocol. It is frustrating, maddening, and were it not a true story, damn near unbelievable. Yet, it speaks to humanity's power to overlook degradation as long as somebody else is calling the shots. A message as important as it is uncomfortable.

• Sunny D

  
  "Compliance" left me with a mixed bag of emotions. On one hand, I felt like it was incredibly well-directed and captivating. On the other hand, I found it frustrating and just wanted one person to realize how ridiculous "Officer Daniel"'s requests were. I… More
  "Compliance" left me with a mixed bag of emotions. On one hand, I felt like it was incredibly well-directed and captivating. On the other hand, I found it frustrating and just wanted one person to realize how ridiculous "Officer Daniel"'s requests were. I suppose this is exactly the type of viewing experience Zobel was trying to create, and he succeeded in making a very solid film. Grade: B-

• Michael S

  
  Because a film about the inner workings of a fast food restaurant isn't nearly disturbing enough, we get "Compliance," a bold, equally maddening piece of work that will provoke thought, test patience, and turn stomachs. "Compliance" traces a busy Friday… More
  Because a film about the inner workings of a fast food restaurant isn't nearly disturbing enough, we get "Compliance," a bold, equally maddening piece of work that will provoke thought, test patience, and turn stomachs. "Compliance" traces a busy Friday evening at an average, all-American fast food joint. Sandra (Ann Dowd, in an award-worthy turn) is the manager; commencing her workday with utter seriousness. She nags her employees, making few friends in the process and finds embellishing her sexual exploits an acceptable way of getting their approval. She has her favorites though, but early on we sense Becky (Dreama Walker) isn't one of them. She seems like your regular teen; working a dead end job she hates but fears losing. When a mysterious caller, claiming to be a policeman, informs Sandra that Becky has committed a theft, the girl is restrained at her own will in a back room monitored by management and a variety of clueless staff. The caller demands that Becky be stripped searched, but that's only the beginning. The caller progressively pushes the boundaries while a compliant Sandra never questions his authority. With work pilling up, Sandra is persuaded to get her fiancee involved. Few films will test your endurance the way "Compliance" does. This is a harrowing work of realist depravity. How much psychological abuse can we take? In a film of characters making the poorest decisions imaginable, which will be the one to make us finally cry "uncle?" It's a testament to the film's power that we cannot look away. We are helpless observers...and we are involved in the proceedings whether we like it or not. Knowing the film is based on true events (and doesn't stray far from fact) is simple staggering. Most fascinating is how the filmmakers shift our perception on the film's characters; especially that of Becky. A lesser film would have her portrayed as a helpless victim, rendering the film exploitative. "Compliance" is smarter than that. Writer/ director Craig Zobel makes Becky a victim of herself. Why can't she grasp the lunacy of her situation?Can she not sense that something's clearly off? She can bring the situation to a halt at any time, but through her naivety chooses not to. She is simultaneously the oppressed and the oppressor. Alternately, Sandra sporadically comes off as sympathetic. We sense she's just trying to do the right thing but her common sense unfortunately rests on a shaky foundation. She's obviously preoccupied; with Friday being the busiest workday and all! Early on, the identity of the mystery caller is revealed. Well played. "Compliance" doesn't wan't to be a mystery film and from the get go establishes itself as something that can't simply be categorized under cinema's various tropes. It's Zobel's determination to have the film play by nobody's rules but his own that makes it so strong. There is a scene in the final act involving Sandra's husband that brought me to almost punch a hole in my TV screen. It's so over the top and far removed from anything that a person would subject themselves to that even after I found out it actually happened, I was shocked it made it's way into the film. The filmmakers just lay it all on the line.Whether it makes their film seem less credible or whether or not an audience can accept it is of little concern; and that's brave. "Compliance" is a wakeup call to a society that would allow such events to occur in the first place. It's not a movie to simply enjoy, rather a cerebral one to discuss and reflect on. It's not an easy watch, but In it's own way it's quite the film, and despite it's content deserves to be seen by all ages.

• Luke B

  
  A shocking and important movie that should be required viewing for everyone. Based on true events about a crank caller being able to force people to do the most horrendous things, Compliance is a real look at how dangerous, gullible, and compliant human beings can be. If you thought… More
  A shocking and important movie that should be required viewing for everyone. Based on true events about a crank caller being able to force people to do the most horrendous things, Compliance is a real look at how dangerous, gullible, and compliant human beings can be. If you thought the Nazis defence of "We were only following orders" is a weak one, then I suggest you watch this and shiver at the fact that it is almost 100% completely true. The fact this happened more than once is very telling of society. Zobel delves heroically into the subject matter, and could easily have made it more "believable", but instead shows us things unfold at a questionable rate. The claustrophobic setting and shots builds the tension, and when juxtaposing the events i the backroom with the hectic workings of a fast food restaurant we see how such evil really can lurk so close by. The performances are immense and the music is well suited. I think it's very interesting how angry this film has made some people, and I would guess the reason is they are uncomfortable thinking that they could be just as easily manipulated.

• Greg S

  
  A man calls a fast food restaurant claiming to be a police officer and talks the manager into conducting a strip search of an 18-year old female employee; as the harried manager returns to cover the girl's shift, the caller cons others into humiliating the innocent girl with… More
  A man calls a fast food restaurant claiming to be a police officer and talks the manager into conducting a strip search of an 18-year old female employee; as the harried manager returns to cover the girl's shift, the caller cons others into humiliating the innocent girl with increasingly deviant requests. Intensely provocative and tense, it will have you screaming at the screen at the characters' stupidity. You wouldn't believe it was possible people would meekly submit to the bizarre demands of an apparent authority figure so easily, except that it's based on a true story of a prank caller who called almost 100 fast food franchises across the country and tricked seven of them into falling for the strip search ruse.

• Aditya G

  
  ***NOTE: The following analysis/review may contain MILD SPOILERS regarding some detail in the film, but not to the extent of making the film viewing experience any lesser. In 1961, Yale University Psychologist Stanley Milgram conducted a series of social psychology experiments,… More
  ***NOTE: The following analysis/review may contain MILD SPOILERS regarding some detail in the film, but not to the extent of making the film viewing experience any lesser. In 1961, Yale University Psychologist Stanley Milgram conducted a series of social psychology experiments, collectively termed The Milgram Experiment. These experiments tested the willingness of the participants to submit to a person of authority by obeying him/her and perform certain acts even if they went against their moral conscience. The purpose of the experiment was specifically to answer a question about the existence of a sense of morality in some Nazi SS Officers who carried out the Holocaust. The point that was being driven at was, that a majority of these officers were only following orders, and it had nothing to do with their own moral beliefs about the ghastly deeds in question. [img]https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-QgLt1fvayHw/UO7F2-ijVXI/AAAAAAAADN0/yvIGEtdbC5Q/s720/vlcsnap-2013-01-10-18h42m49s140.jpg[/img] Something similar was done much later, only this was no official experiment. It was a series of prank calls made to fast food chains and departmental stores over a few years in the early 2000s! The caller posing to be an authoritative figure, like a policeman, called up mostly fast food restaurants in small towns across the USA and convinced the store managers/floor managers to conduct strip searches of their young female employees, under the pretext of seeking their help to carry out a bigger police investigation! One of these cases went so far as to turn into a lewd circus of humiliation, involving three to four other members, one of them not even employed with the restaurant! All this, thanks to the very smooth-talking caller and a dimwitted store manager who felt she was helping the police! This shocking event happened at a McDonald's restaurant in Mount Washington, Kentucky. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strip_search_prank_call_scam#Mount_Washington.2C_Kentucky.2C_incident). [img]https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-7MunLImAGJs/UO7F5aTWU6I/AAAAAAAADOk/NyhtNHjGsXo/s574/vlcsnap-2013-01-10-19h09m52s50.jpg[/img] Writer-Director Craig Zobel's 2012 disturbing thriller, "Compliance" is based on this event. Sandra (Ann Dowd, terrific; the best performance in the film), a middle-aged manager of Chickwich, a local fast food chain, is having a bad day at work. It's Friday and there was already an incidence of a freezer door being left open the night before, leading to spoiled goods worth $1500! Already upset and somewhat tensed about facing the regional manager about this, she instructs her employees to be on their toes and make do with whatever limited urgent stock of Bacon and pickles they ordered. Business continues as usual, until one phone call made to the back office changes everything! [img]https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-dx_rpJqAl2w/UO7F3UvtLyI/AAAAAAAADN8/35Lm4VD1vk8/s450/vlcsnap-2013-01-10-18h49m02s29.jpg[/img] A voice claiming to be Officer Daniels (Pat Healy) asks to speak with Sandra and informs her that there's a person with him, reporting a theft by one of the employees at ChickWich, a young, blonde girl. He also claims that he has the regional manager on the other line and wants to get to the bottom of the matter on the phone if possible, and get it over with sooner. Sandra, believing the girl in question to be Becky (Dreama Walker), as she fits the description, brings her in. Mentioning that there was no officer to run over to the restaurant right now, Officer Daniels smooth talks Sandra and convinces her that she would do a great favor to the police by helping out. After an initial search for the stolen money in Becky's pockets and purse, Sandra is instructed to strip search the girl, and if necessary, hinted to carry out a body cavity search! And this is where things start to get uglier. The caller asks a lot of questions, some uncomfortable ones, reaffirms that he is the authority, the law, and it is Sandra's and the other staff's duty to comply! He also adds that there is a bigger investigation going on, and if either Becky or Sandra refuse to cooperate, he may have to detain her or both of them in police custody for questioning! [img]https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-wXko1gpOuEA/UO7JenKWWqI/AAAAAAAADQU/mb8jNMMBwcQ/s554/vlcsnap-2013-01-10-18h47m26s157.jpg[/img] What begins as a preliminary check to look for money turns into an ordeal of humiliation and harassment that continues over the next few hours, with involvement from others, including Sandra's fiancé, Van (Bill Camp, in a neatly restrained, ambiguous performance), participating in the revolting act which, indeed, turns into an abasing sexual assault, all at the behest of the caller who calls himself the authority! [img]https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-SPaT1cmpliM/UO7F5IBaiWI/AAAAAAAADOc/yZgO5I41-us/s720/vlcsnap-2013-01-10-19h07m02s97.jpg[/img] Though not a very easy film to watch, Zobel gives us a highly effective, claustrophobic nail-biter; a kind of film that is capable of having a strong psychological effect on the viewer. It proves to be Zobel's own experiment with the audiences to find how they react as mute spectators to the on-goings in the film! What kind of a reaction is this film capable of invoking? I am sure there may have been several walkouts, some others may have scoffed at the implausibility of the events, still others must have felt sickened, yet sat through it anyway! There were a few times I felt like yelling "How dumb is this! Verify if that man is indeed a police officer! No policeman would ask you to do that! Why aren't you personally calling the regional manager?" My own reaction was that of seething rage, frustration and helplessness. It was simply difficult to fathom that something like this could happen! And then that paves the way for jotting down several character actions and reactions which could go down as inherent technical flaws or holes that demand a lot of suspension of disbelief on the part of the viewer! Why give in to the caller's demands? Why not just let yourself get arrested, come face to face with the complainant and get the matter sorted out? Why even perform the deeds? Can they just not pretend? The caller can't see them anyway. Why does Sandra not call the regional manager herself to corroborate the officer's claim that he is on the other line? Why does Sandra leave her middle-aged, drunk fiancé alone with Becky and ask him to obey the officer's orders? And finally, why does he in turn, comply? Did he not have the sanity that the woman he was engaged to, lacked? Maybe it was his own loyalty being put to the test by the twisted mind of the caller! Maybe he was already a man, sick in the head, being seduced by a golden chance of being an authority by himself and getting to do forbidden things to a comely young girl half his age... [img]https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-tIaxPTTcc-s/UO7F4k_5mjI/AAAAAAAADOU/yzJAQyNrxYQ/s656/vlcsnap-2013-01-10-18h56m38s46.jpg[/img] A lot many questions keep hammering you until you face the fact that such behavior is very much possible, if not always probable! At this juncture we would probably put ourselves in their shoes. What would we have done in a similar situation? Majority of the answers would be "anything but that"! Frankly, that's easier said than done, with a police officer being put on hold, threatening to detain one of you in custody for not co-operating with the law! Maybe some of us would risk it, and eventually save ourselves a lot of trouble. But this is exactly where diverse human traits come into play! Not all of us are risk takers are we? [img]https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-GlhMLqHd4-g/UO7F3gurIaI/AAAAAAAADOA/dY5SvNLhijk/s537/vlcsnap-2013-01-10-18h53m33s213.jpg[/img] Then we recall Milgram's experiment! Milgram did find some success, wherein the subjects obeyed the experimenter, regardless of their personal view on the act in question! At least the subjects in Milgram's experiments knew they were a part of an experiment, but still went along, when prodded! It is reported that in Milgram's first set of experiments, he had more than 50% subjects who complied! But the characters in this film are only meek individuals trying to make a living. They merely wanted to get the situation out of the way as quickly as possible and avoid a long police procedure! Blame it on lack of common sense or lack of intelligence. Or in other cases, the fear of the law or simply the itch for dominance and power! No matter how ridiculous and twisted the demands of the caller got, the people in question, barring a couple, always obeyed! Did they do wrong? [img]https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-4zLJNglAQVk/UO7F4uNDjLI/AAAAAAAADOY/MVS8AmenvXo/s720/vlcsnap-2013-01-10-19h01m19s39.jpg[/img] Nonetheless, the inevitable aftermath of the incident followed; people were fired, others went into therapy, and the perpetrator, an ordinary family man got arrested (and later acquitted!). But at what cost? An unfortunate incident, a harmless prank turning into a lifetime of shame! Barring the rather cold, wooden performance of Dreama Walker, as Becky, the victim, "Compliance" is a remarkable low-budget indie thriller that is worth your time. If for nothing else, do watch it as an lesson in awareness. It could happen to you...!

• Kevin C

  
  Harrowing, frustrating, and challenging, however, choosing to have our minimum wage working victim remain stoic and irritated instead of the more realistic fearful and loathing raises more questions about the screenplay than of moral and social qualms (even though I appreciate that we… More
  Harrowing, frustrating, and challenging, however, choosing to have our minimum wage working victim remain stoic and irritated instead of the more realistic fearful and loathing raises more questions about the screenplay than of moral and social qualms (even though I appreciate that we didn't get 90 minutes of a constantly crying teenage cashier).

• KJ P

  
  Now this is a very questionable film, going from extremely disturbing scenes, to downright impossible situations. This film may be based on actual events, but I know for certain that it wouldn't have happened the way it did in this film, because it is just unheard of. The… More
  Now this is a very questionable film, going from extremely disturbing scenes, to downright impossible situations. This film may be based on actual events, but I know for certain that it wouldn't have happened the way it did in this film, because it is just unheard of. The suspense builds for the first 30 minutes, but after you know what is exactly going on, there is really nothing to look forward to, except for the disturbing nudity scenes and whether or not she will comply. Everything in this film just sort of happens, and there is really no element of surprise, which is what I was hoping for. "Compliance" is well directed and well acted, with a screenplay that works very well for what it is, but that is all!

• Everett J

  
  A few years ago I was watching 20/20 when they ran a story about a prank phone call at a McDonalds. The manager took a call from someone who said they were a cop, and accusing a teenage girl of stealing money. From there the caller has the manager strip search the girl, and it gets… More
  A few years ago I was watching 20/20 when they ran a story about a prank phone call at a McDonalds. The manager took a call from someone who said they were a cop, and accusing a teenage girl of stealing money. From there the caller has the manager strip search the girl, and it gets crazier from there. "Compliance" is a movie based on that, and pretty much a complete reenactment. This is 100% true, and that is just insane. The entire movie you will be saying "WTF?! Are you serious? Are you stupid?! No way this is real!" The fact that it really the happened is just baffling and makes the movie that much more entertaining. The acting is pretty bad(except Ann Dowd as the manager, she does good), but the directing is great. The execution of the movie is great, considering this could have easily been a lifetime made for TV movie. Instead it's a movie filled with tension and suspense. This is the kind of Independent movie that shows that a big budget isn't needed to make a good movie. Is this a must watch? No, but it entertaining, and worth a watch.

• Nate Z

  
  The day at a fast food eatery began like any other. Sandra (Ann Dowd), the manager of the branch, has to shepherd her small group of employees through a hectic Friday evening. Then she gets a phone call from an "Officer Daniels" (Pat Healy). He tells her one of her workers,… More
  The day at a fast food eatery began like any other. Sandra (Ann Dowd), the manager of the branch, has to shepherd her small group of employees through a hectic Friday evening. Then she gets a phone call from an "Officer Daniels" (Pat Healy). He tells her one of her workers, Becky (Dreama Walker), has stolen money from a customer. Sandra takes Becky into a storeroom and confronts her. Becky is aghast and professes her innocence. This is where things start to get out of control in writer/director Craig Zobel's potent indie pressure-cooker. "Officer Daniels" insists that Becky be searched, then strip searched, and then worse, and Sandra and the employees begrudgingly go along. After all, it's an officer of the law telling them what to do. Except that "Officer Daniels" is no police officer. This whole incident is an awful prank, and the people involved will never be the same. This really is an indie horror movie, flipping the oft-repeated cry, "Don't go in there," with, "Why are you still doing this?" You may have to watch portions of this movie between your fingers. I was squirming and crying out at numerous points. The tension and dread just continue to mount, and you watch the characters slowly degrade, as they're asked to do more insidious acts of humiliation in the name of compliance, and to watch them carry on the path of shame. It's a step-by-step process of human degradation, so that the more disturbing moments of sexual obedience don't feel entirely implausible given the journey through hell the characters have endured. It is impossible to watch this movie silent and detached. This is a provocative film that will garner many reactions but it's also something of an endurance test. How long can you watch? How far can you watch these characters descend? The movie hooks you early and then you almost feel complicit, but you're completely taken over by morbid curiosity. The movie is a powerful modern-day example of the Milgram experiment, the famous psychological exercise where a figure in authority, who assumes all responsibility, gradually gets average people to commit increasingly harmful acts to others. As long as people believe they are following orders, they can be convinced to do almost anything by someone in control. It's easy to sit back and judge these characters, scoffing at how naïve they seem to be. It's always easy for us to say what we would do in hypothetical situations, that is, until they happen. Compliance is an intriguing analysis of the shifting facets if power, authority, and manipulation. "Officer Daniels" enlists a host of tricks and verbal intimidation to persuade his victims to do things outside their better judgment (the caller's true profession is a brilliant backstory). After a while, Sandra looks to be developing some slight Stockholm syndrome as she empathizes more with the plight of the phony officer on the phone than her employee. He provides just enough sympathy and validation she's looking for to win her over. He also plays people against one another; he implores Becky to spare Sandra any extended grief, which often cows her into consenting. "Officer Daniels" isn't the only one manipulating others; Sandra pressures employees to become involved in the situation, using her position of power to squeeze others into getting what she wants. There are numerous victims and culprits here and Zobel could have easily given over to the exploitation elements of his story and made a very tawdry, voyeuristic exercise in sexual dominance. We watch as Becky bares all of herself and then goes even further, as "Officer Daniels" instructs male attendants to physically inspect her body cavities. It is a credit to Zobel's sensitive direction that Compliance does not come across like a glorified S&M masturbation fantasy. He treats the incident very seriously, providing clear distaste without going overboard into preachy condemnation or superiority. It's amazing that Zobel's script finds so much empathy for his participants. You may be surprised at how relatable and "normal" these people seem. You may even recognize some of them. They're all trying to do the right thing at heart, but that distinction gets extremely blurry as the night carries on. The point of Zobel's script is that these people could be us. The added empathy makes the downward spiral all the more stomach-churning, as we want these characters to take a stand, to wise up and question the voice of authority. Dowd (Marley & Me) is downright heartbreaking and deeply frustrating in the movie. We get a clear sense of the pressure she's under in her position, but she's really the focal point of the movie. Walker (TV's Don't Trust the B in Apartment 23) is the martyr of the piece, and her slow resignation to the humiliation is deeply affecting, but this is Dowd's movie. The longtime character actress takes the character of the dowdy Sandra, striving for respect, and transforms her into a figure worthy of Greek tragedy. She can be vindictive and, well, bossy, but she's also a figure struggling for respect and validation and what she feels is morally just. We watch as her confidence starts getting chipped away, the flickers of doubt that she must tamp down because now she's gone too far to reverse course. I don't imagine that a movie as small as Compliance will be remembered around Oscar time, but I'll certainly recall Dowd's sad and transfixing performance. I'd like to share a spooky bit of personal connection to the film. No I've never experienced anything this heinous before, but there was an offhand music cue that caught my interest. When we cut to the dining area early on, there's an Admiral Twin song playing. Who is Admiral Twin? Why they're a brilliant pop-rock band from Tulsa, Oklahoma that I've been singing the praises of since 2000. I've won over friends with my discipleship, but the band is still relatively unknown, playing few performances outside of their native Tulsa. Given the phonetic approximations of my name with the film's writer/director, and the inclusion of an obscure indie band that few know (but should), it seems likely that Zobel may indeed be some far off relative of mine or, more likely, myself. I must have crafted an entire film without ever knowing about it. This seems like the most probable scenario. I don't want it sound like Compliance is some grueling exercise in group sadism. In lesser hands, it might have devolved to that. It's a fascinating and provocative game that challenges and incenses an audience. The movie is a sickening but compulsively watchable dramatic experiment that will leave you talking for hours once it concludes. It's an uncomfortable sit, yes, but that doesn't mean it's not worthwhile. The events in the film seem unbelievable and yet it's based on a true story. This stuff happened, people. Not only that, it happened multiple occasions in multiple vicinities. What does that say about human nature? Will we only be as good as society lets us be? If we are absolved of responsibility, how far removed from our own sense of ethics will we go? Are we all susceptible to this moral failing under the right circumstances? I think that's the truly terrifying and lasting lesson of Compliance. These people could be us, both victim and unwitting antagonist. Destined to stir debate and become a college ethics course favorite, Compliance is a gripping movie that will make you cringe but also give way to some scary introspection. How far would you go? Nate's Grade: A-

• John H

  
  A slow climb to a fulfilling end. Every minute is better than the last. Has what most modern thrillers are missing.

• Carlos M

  
  It is hard to believe that such a revolting and absurd story could really happen, but believe it or not, it is based on real events - and this well-directed film grows effectively disturbing as we are forced to see how stupid people can be in the hands of skilled psychopaths.

• William D

  
  "Compliance" is a hand-made film shot on video with a large team of unknown actors, many of whom seem untrained. It's a moderately effective study of what it claims is a recurring phenomenon, where middle-aged men pretend to be police officers and get random civilians… More
  "Compliance" is a hand-made film shot on video with a large team of unknown actors, many of whom seem untrained. It's a moderately effective study of what it claims is a recurring phenomenon, where middle-aged men pretend to be police officers and get random civilians to do unspeakable things to each other. In this case, it's a fast-food restaurant in the middle of nowhere. The manager receives a phone call from a man who says he is a detective at the local precinct investigating allegations that one of her employees stole money from a customer. He says that this employee must be strip-searched immediately to obtain evidence. The manager complies. That's just the beginning.

• Liam G

  
  I questioned the characters' decision making maybe once too often, but that's almost a testament to ''Compliance'' as I haven't seen a film in a while that has been this thought-provoking. The performances are terrific, the direction is superb and… More
  I questioned the characters' decision making maybe once too often, but that's almost a testament to ''Compliance'' as I haven't seen a film in a while that has been this thought-provoking. The performances are terrific, the direction is superb and the tension is so high throughout. The scariest film of 2012 thus far.

• Dann M

  
  It's often said that truth is stranger than fiction, and Compliance presents an excellent example of this. Based on actual events, the film follows a fast-food restaurant that detains and abuses an employee after receiving a phone call from a police detective that accuses the… More
  It's often said that truth is stranger than fiction, and Compliance presents an excellent example of this. Based on actual events, the film follows a fast-food restaurant that detains and abuses an employee after receiving a phone call from a police detective that accuses the employee of a crime and asks for their assistance in the case. It's a fascinating look at the effect that authority has on people, and at the lengths to which they will go in order to "comply" when threatened by an authority. Unfortunately, there are some directing and storytelling issues that cause the film to lose its momentum and prevents the audience from engaging. Still, there's a powerful message in Compliance that come through.

• The Movie W

  
  Usually I write a review the day after I first watch the movie as I like to give it time to sink in. It's been three days since I watched "Compliance" and I'm still not sure whether it's a good film or not. There are two things I am sure of though; this is one… More
  Usually I write a review the day after I first watch the movie as I like to give it time to sink in. It's been three days since I watched "Compliance" and I'm still not sure whether it's a good film or not. There are two things I am sure of though; this is one of the must see films of the year and Pat Healy is American cinema's best kept secret, a chameleon of an actor. Remember the name. The event portrayed here is non-fictional, based on true events which occurred over seventy times in thirty states across America. A tele-marketer, skilled at manipulating people over the phone, would call various retail establishments posing as a police officer and accuse a staff member of stealing money from a customer. Here his target is ChickWich, a fictional fast food chain managed by middle-aged Dowd and staffed by a variety of young slackers. Dowd receives a call from the fake cop, Healy, who informs her that Walker, a pretty young staff member, has committed the theft. Dowd takes Walker into a backroom where most of the film plays out. Healy claims he is busy with a larger investigation at Walker's home and won't be able to visit the restaurant anytime soon. Walker is given a choice, she can spend the night in jail or she can allow Dowd to strip search her on the premises. Both Dowd and Walker are initially uncomfortable with this suggestion but decide it's the easier of the two options. Despite carrying out his request, Healy isn't fully satisfied and makes more demands which escalate in their oddness. Due to it being a busy Friday night, Dowd calls her boyfriend Camp, who she has misled her employees into believing is her fiance, and asks him to keep watch on Walker. She passes him the phone and Healy realizes he can really push the limits with this guy. Up to this point the movie had me hooked, mainly due to the fantastic performances by Dowd and Healy, but the introduction of Camp had me mentally stepping back from what I was watching. Apparently what transpires actually occurred in real life but it's so hard to swallow that it damages the integrity of the film. I had to keep reminding myself this was a true story as it plays out like a scenario from a cheap porno flick. Part of the problem is the acting by Walker and Camp, simply not strong enough to make the situation believable. I don't live in America so can't comment on the attitudes toward authority figures in that country but certainly where I'm from the public maintains a healthy mistrust of those in positions of power. That's probably the case across Europe where I imagine audiences will struggle with the film. By sticking to the truth, Zobel has ironically made his movie a punishing test of the viewer's ability to suspend disbelief. What alternative does he have? A European cut where Dowd tells Healy to screw himself within five minutes? Americans will undoubtedly find this movie a lot more involving. Us disobedient Europeans will have to keep telling ourselves "It's not just a movie!"

• Glenn G

  
  Despite a fantastic lead performance, COMPLIANCE, which sparked controversy at the 2012 Sundance Film Festival, is a one-note trial to endure. Basically, the famous Milgram Experiments brought to life, COMPLIANCE is a real-time look at how far we're willing to go to please… More
  Despite a fantastic lead performance, COMPLIANCE, which sparked controversy at the 2012 Sundance Film Festival, is a one-note trial to endure. Basically, the famous Milgram Experiments brought to life, COMPLIANCE is a real-time look at how far we're willing to go to please authority figures. When a fast food manager is asked by a calling police officer to detain one of her employees for a possible theft, things escalate quickly on the discomfort scale. Had the story developed further than just one long phone call, I would have liked it better, but as it is, it's completely monotonous. The officer keeps asking the fast food employees to detain, question, strip search, and more the seemingly innocent young woman, and everyone pretty much complies, because they don't want to look bad in the eyes of the law. This is a completely valid premise for a film, making us question our own naivete. But it just goes on and on, hitting the same drumbeat each and every time. Ann Dowd, however, deserves special mention for quite the bravura turn as the manager. A cog in the wheel who just wants to do the right thing, she's at turn needy, brazen, and heartbreaking. This veteran actor knows how to keep you riveted. I believed every second of her performance while not believing much of anything else, and this is a film based on true events! Most scenes drag on too long, especially a pointless, endless shot of a police officer driving to the scene in one, long extended take. WHY? WHY? WHY? I admire that this film wants to explore a vulnerable part of human behavior, but without much in the way of a story, this whole thing would have been better off as an article in Psychology Today. It's clearly intended to be a screw-turning, intense experience, but it's mostly sad and numbing.

• John B

  
  Allegedly based on a true story, Compliance is nonetheless far fetched in terms of what employees are willing to do with an employee on the advice of a faux police officer. Despite the far fetchedness, it inspires good drama and strong performances from actors who are forced into… More
  Allegedly based on a true story, Compliance is nonetheless far fetched in terms of what employees are willing to do with an employee on the advice of a faux police officer. Despite the far fetchedness, it inspires good drama and strong performances from actors who are forced into uneasy acts.

• Jeffrey M

  
  Timely, unsettling, and riveting, Compliance is a memorable, and undeniably disturbing thriller. The premise, based on actual events, revolves around a prank call, and the seemingly inconceivable things that fall-out from it. The film yields an interesting balance between commentary,… More
  Timely, unsettling, and riveting, Compliance is a memorable, and undeniably disturbing thriller. The premise, based on actual events, revolves around a prank call, and the seemingly inconceivable things that fall-out from it. The film yields an interesting balance between commentary, character study, and enthralling thriller, succeeding admirably on all parts, and managing to make an impression. The acting is what I appreciated most about Compliance, with excellent performances from all around, performances that are so naturalistic, and so relate-able, that the realism of the film stays consistent and engaging. Especially impressive was Ann Dowd, as the affable, slightly naive, but well meaning manager, who is tragically manipulated. All of the actors had great chemistry, and inhibited a world that so resembles our own, so as to make it that much more unsettling. The script and direction is also done well, with a great sense of tension, and smart characterizations. While liberties were taken, the heart of the film has a factual basis, and the script did a good job relating what is an all too rule societal problem, why do we unquestionably submit to authority? The one element that didn't quite work, however, was that of the caller, who I felt wasn't appropriately fleshed out, which is disappointing, as the film seemed to allude to some possibly interesting story-lines. Overall, a thought provoking, uncomfortable, but well executed drama. 4/5 Stars

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