Compliance

"Compliance" is a movie that requires RAMPANT stupidity and naivete. I don't think it is calculable the amount of pure unadulterated stupidity that is required for the events of this movie to occur. What's sad is that I believe that such events could occur. I do believe that you could easily get four or five morons to go along with such a patently illegal and perverse plot.

If you haven't watched it, it's about a twisted pervert who poses as a police officer over the phone and accuses an employee (Dreama Walker) of stealing money. In most places a stunt like this could last about thirty seconds, but in this anonymous rinky-dink town in Ohio it went on for hours. All it took was a naive restaurant manager (Ann Dowd) and about four equally idiotic others to get a full grown woman to strip and put herself through utter humiliation for some money that was allegedly stolen.

"Compliance" tells a sad tale of the human willingness to obey authority to any extent. And it portrays several individuals who, if a gene pool needs to be erased from existence, theirs certainly does--starting with the store manager, Sandra (Ann Dowd).

A very authoritative sounding man pretended to be a cop investigating a theft at a ChickWich (a cheaper Chick Fil-A type restaurant). He made all of his accusations over the phone while a very compliant manager aided him in his investigation. The "investigation" should've been over the moment he asked Sandra to check Becky's (Dreama Walker) stuff, but it wasn't. When the investigation got to the point of a strip search that Sandra and her shift supervisor, Marti (Ashlie Atkinson), both sat in on, there were no more limits to how far these imbeciles would go to comply with authority.

I've rated this movie highly because it stirred and disturbed me deeply. I have no problem saying that I was triggered by this movie. I hated every aspect of what was going on, yet I was impressed how this movie could rouse me to such heights of anger without being propagandistic or plain trash. I think this movie accomplished what it set out to do, even if it was just to get people angry and call the characters s**t-for-brains. But I do believe the movie had a bigger aim, which was to show how easily people will comply with the most absurd demands of authority, and I, for one, believe it.

"Compliance" is a film that is painfully difficult to watch at times, because of the nature of what we see and knowing it's all true. The initial reaction is to scoff at what takes place on screen, because it's so preposterous. It's hard to believe people wouldn't wake up sooner and realize what was going on or even have a basic understanding of the law and procedure. But, basic research shows it is all true. The fact this could happen is a testament to the gullibility of the American public, and that's the most painful part of all.

"Compliance" is a shockingly terrifying film. As I watched the events unfold on the screen, knowing that they were tightly based off a true story, I had difficulty maintaining my breathing. With a sinister visual style from the start, filled with tight macro shots and a simply greasy aura, as well as powerful performances from all of the cast members, most exceptionally Ann Dowd, "Compliance" transcends from its fast-food setting into something much darker, and much more haunting. The abuse of the young cashier is repulsive. "How could you do that?!" you will continually wonder, wishing the words would escape your head in the form of a scream. This film is frustrating, vexing, and equally engrossing, almost as if the story itself doesn't satisfy man's need for vicarious horror. "Compliance" forces me to question my fate in humanity and the limits of the 7 billion people with whom I share this Earth. Ultimately this film is a sickening narrative, a narrative I might as well wish I had never seen. Must you watch this? No. Is this a vital piece of cinema? No. Is "Compliance" paralyzing, appalling, thought provoking, and, most brutally, true? More than you could ever imagine.

After watching this movie i just couldn't believe it was based on a true story. It boggled my mind that a group of people could be this stupid. In BIG disbelief i searched the net to see if this was really true or just loosely based on a true story. I found proof that it was totally true. Every aspect of the story was true. ABC even did a story about these events with interviews with the manager and the young girl. Also showing actual footage of the events.

The movie is not bad. The characters to a good job. But you will spend more time with your mouth open in disbelief of whats happening then actually enjoying the movie. It really is disturbing.

As a History Teacher of High School Students I am saddened by the lack of basic civic knowledge not afforded to the characters in this film and subsequently the real people who they portrayed. Ignorance is so depressing. Also this situation reminds us the the famous Stanford Prison Experiment and Milgrim Experiments of the 1960's, how easy it can be for authority figures to take control of unsuspecting or passive individuals. This film is important to see and the graphic nature is vital to its message. Look what the citizens of Germany allowed to happen the the 1930's and the tragedy of the followers of Jim Jones to name a few examples.