Compliance

Starring;

Ann Dowd
Dreama Walker
Pat Healy
Bill Camp
Philip Ettinger
Ashlie Atkinson

Director;

Craig Zobel

In three words; Shocking – Voyeuristic – Challenging

Review;

Sandra (Dowd) is the manager of a fast food restaurant who struggles to gain the respect of her young and uninterested staff. She has fallen into a position of authority which perhaps she feels uncomfortable with yet strives to do the best she can. A busy day is ahead of her in which she is attempting to deal with spoiled food and difficult employees. The day takes a turn for the worse when she receives a call from a man claiming to be Police Officer Daniels (Healy).

The faux cop explains to Sandra that he is investigating a theft which occurred earlier that day in Sandra’s restaurant. He is able to identify the culprit with open questions where Sandra inadvertently helps him to point the finger at Becky (Walker). Sandra is happy to assist in any way she can and agrees to take Becky into a back room until the Police arrive.

It is here where events turn bizarre and shocking. Officer Daniels explains to Sandra that he needs her assistance in strip searching Becky to find the alleged missing money. The premise is completely ludicrous and if it weren’t for the fact that the film was inspired by true events I could not suspend disbelief for what occurs.

The film is based on a series of prank calls to various fast food restaurants in America where the caller has persuaded staff to perform sexual assaults and degrading behaviour. Writer and Director, Craig Zobel, has taken most of what occurred in a McDonald’s restaurant in Mount Washington, Kentucky in 2004. An event which beggars belief yet occurred all the same.

Becky is subjected to humiliating and degenerate searches of her body. Officer Daniels is able to control the complicit fast food employees along with Sandra’s fiancée Van (Camp) who is brought in to watch over Becky as Sandra carries out her normal management duties on a busy Friday night. Van does not question the bizarre requests of Officer Daniels and Becky is under his complete control. This leads to morally reprehensive events which Van admits was a ‘bad thing’.

The film revolves around the context of the Milgram Experiment which was a series of psychology experiments which studied the obedience of subjects to authority figures. From Sandra being a lowly fast food manager to the all empowering Officer Daniels we see two different levels of authority and obedience.

Compliance almost brings into questions that society as a whole is complicit in one way or another in such events. What the film suffers from is perhaps an actress out of her depth. Dreama Walker portrayal of Becky is a little lazy and I didn’t felt that she presented that strain and stress that one would image a person would go through in such a situation. This could be a deliberate attempt by the director to make the audience question the events further. However, I stronger performance was required to express the vulnerability and also ingenuousness of a young girl.

The supporting cast are very good, particular mention has to go to Dowd and Atkinson, who plays Deputy Manager Marti. They excel in their respective roles and bring credence to the situation. Zobel has brought together a thought provoking film about a very difficult subject to explore without it ever becoming indulgent. He is able to bring a structure of reality in what becomes outrageously unbelievable. This a testament to his well-written script and excellent direction.

Verdict;

4 out of 5.