When someone calls, what makes you trust the other person on the end of the phone line is who they say they are? Is it because they sound professional? Authoritative? Or is it because we can all be easily manipulated? Inspired by a chilling true story, COMPLIANCE explores just how far one might go to obey a figure of authority. And trust us when we say how chilling this film truly is.
On a particularly busy day at the local ChickWich, the fast food joint’s high-strung manager Sandra (Ann Dowd, Garden State) receives a phone call from a police officer saying her employee Becky (Dreama Walker, “Don’t Trust the B____ in Apt. 23”) 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.
The second feature from Craig Zobel (director of the 2007 Sundance hit THE GREAT WORLD OF SOUND), COMPLIANCE recounts this riveting nightmare in which the line between legality and reason is hauntingly blurred. The cast delivers startlingly authentic performances that make the events unfolding on screen impossible to turn away from. Delving into the complex psychology of the story that inspired the film, COMPLIANCE proves that sometimes truth really is stranger than fiction.
One of the most controversial and talked-about films at the 2012 Sundance Film Festival, COMPLIANCE will be released on August 17th. Take a look at the trailer below and share your thoughts. Also, a special shout out to our very own Britt Hayes for her pull quote on the film’s poster.
