Blu-ray Review: Craig Zobel’s Disturbing, True ‘Compliance’

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CHICAGO – It’s been over a year since Craig Zobel’s “Compliance” took Park City by storm when this disturbing drama premiered at the 2012 Sundance Film Festival. Rattling viewers before sending them out into the cold Utah streets, “Compliance” was not just one of that fest’s most memorable films but one of the entire year’s. Now on Blu-ray, you can see what all the controversial buzz is about.

HollywoodChicago.com Television Rating: 4.0/5.0
Television Rating: 4.0/5.0

“Compliance” tells the disturbing true story of how trust in authority and fear of repercussions can lead people to do horrible things. The great Pat Healy (“Magnolia,” “The Innkeepers”) plays a total sociopath, a man who called fast food restaurants and convinced the managers that he was a police officer. He then would instruct the managers to do increasingly ridiculous things in the name of authority. In one case, he went way too far and the result was a sexual assault. Dreama Walker does strong work as the poor employee accused of theft, strip searched, and abused while Ann Dowd won several critics awards as the manager who serves as the middle man for a lunatic. She’s great here even if she’s clearly the lead (the film opens and closes with her) and, therefore, was an odd choice for as many Supporting Actress awards as she won.

“Compliance” was one of the most provocative films of 2012 in that audiences freaked out at Q&As and reports of loud responses to the film were recorded around the country. The reason “Compliance” works is that it makes you uncomfortable and judgmental. So many people think “I’d never fall for that” and then, as the situation gets worse, we subconciously feel bad about that judgment. “This isn’t real.” And yet it is. The idea that both people could fall for this trick and that people could commit it makes people uneasy. And Zobel’s gift is in how he deftly handles the material, playing it as cold drama instead of the screaming horror film it could have become. Don’t miss it.

Compliance was released on Blu-ray and DVD on January 8, 2013
Compliance was released on Blu-ray and DVD on January 8, 2013
Photo credit: Magnolia

Synopsis:
Inspired by true events, Compliance tells the chilling story of just how far one might go to obey a figure of authority. On a particularly busy day at a suburban Ohio fast food joint, high-strung manager Sandra (Ann Dowd) receives a phone call from a police officer saying that an employee, a pretty young blonde named Becky (Dreama Walker), has stolen money from a customer. Convinced she’s only doing what’s right, Sandra commences the investigation, following step-by-step instructions from the officer at the other end of the line, no matter how invasive they become.

Special Features:
o Behind the Scenes
o Interview with Director Craig Zobel
o AXS TV: A Look at Compliance
o Theatrical Trailer

“Compliance” stars Ann Dowd, Dreama Walker, and Pat Healy. It was written and directed by Craig Zobel. It was released on Blu-ray and DVD on January 8, 2013.

HollywoodChicago.com content director Brian Tallerico

By BRIAN TALLERICO
Content Director
HollywoodChicago.com
brian@hollywoodchicago.com

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