Compliance (Zobel, 2012)

[Yasujiro]

I didn't like this very much but it wasn't all bad. Ann Dowd and Bill Camp were great, and Zobel does a great job of developing character in a very short amount of time in the film's first act - through throwaway lines and glimpses of scenarios we get a feel for who these people are and why, perhaps, they'd be susceptible to "Officer Daniels"s manipulation. However, I think the procedural ending is a lot of dead weight and showing the caller is a huge mistake - as soon as we see him our focus is shifted from the psychology of 'compliance' to this villain and his skill at manipulation, which essentially turns the film into an ordinary thriller rather than a Buñuelian look at an absurd psychological phenomenon. And I don't think Pat Healy's performance as the villain is unique enough to sustain this kind of focus, either.

[Moviefreak]

However, I think the procedural ending is a lot of dead weight and showing the caller is a huge mistake - as soon as we see him our focus is shifted from the psychology of 'compliance' to this villain and his skill at manipulation, which essentially turns the film into an ordinary thriller rather than a Buñuelian look at an absurd psychological phenomenon. And I don't think Pat Healy's performance as the villain is unique enough to sustain this kind of focus, either.

I actually agree with this completely. That really was a mistake on the part of the filmmakers and showing him getting caught was what's driving these SVU comparisons.

[Scarmi]

It would have been interesting not to show the caller at all, but I don't think that would've been the right choice. It's important that the audience know exactly what's actually going on the whole time for it to be thinking about the psychological themes and the message; if it were a mystery the audience would just be wondering who was making the calls the whole time and waiting for the big reveal, which would make it seem (even) more like a cheap thriller. But yeah, they definitely should have gotten rid of the procedural nonsense at the end and just kept the TV interview with Ann Dowd. Especially since the real guy was acquitted.

[haqyunus]

^Oh yeah, they have to show the perp or reveal the mystery. Otherwise the whole point of the movie would've been lost.

[Jali]

I found this to be really good, among the best of the year so far. And the performances of the entire cast are great, especially Ann Dowd, how deserves hands down to be in the Oscar race.

[MrJeffery]

I found this to be really good, among the best of the year so far. And the performances of the entire cast are great, especially Ann Dowd, how deserves hands down to be in the Oscar race.

glad you liked it! and i agree wholeheartedly about dowd.

[ladylurks]

I don't think it's a question of dumb people in flyover states, at all. As the Milgram experiment showed, smart college students are also likely to obey an authority figure and inflict extreme pain on others, even though it violates their own morality. It's a basic psychological fact for about 65% of humans, whether smart or dumb, city or country, that they will obey the most outrageous instructions because they feel compelled to give in to the voice of authority.

[Atonenent.]

Whie this is an objectively very good movie and exploration of psychology, it was really frustrating and uncomfortable. I almost wish I hadn't seen it. Dowd was excellent.

[Sebbers]

The movie had some good and bad elements, overall not a bad film, just some missteps that made it from being a GREAT film. Ann Dowd is an absolute knockout though, truly the best part of the film, and I 100% agree with NBR putting her in the supporting category because even though she's on the border for both, there are large chunks where she's missing, which tend to be the weaker parts of the film. I would be completely happy if she is somehow able to sneak in this year, but it's doubtful, even with such a weak year, but if she does, she deserves it.

[Dave_ATC]

I hated this film. Saw it last week, I was beyond aggravated watching it.

The film laughs in the audience face, it repeatedly ask you, the viewer: how dumb are you?

And I literally was talking to the screen asking the director how dumb does he think I am. The plot while being real shows more about how stupid the people in the scenario are. It's laughable and no sane human being would ever go through this situation. The fact that it takes over an hour for them to figure out that this guy on the phone isn't a cop...I can't get over the absurdity.

I had such high hopes for the film and it was one of the biggest let downs of the year.

[with_one_voice]

I hated this film. Saw it last week, I was beyond aggravated watching it.

The film laughs in the audience face, it repeatedly ask you, the viewer: how dumb are you?

And I literally was talking to the screen asking the director how dumb does he think I am. The plot while being real shows more about how stupid the people in the scenario are. It's laughable and no sane human being would ever go through this situation. The fact that it takes over an hour for them to figure out that this guy on the phone isn't a cop...I can't get over the absurdity.

I had such high hopes for the film and it was one of the biggest let downs of the year.

You know the film is based on true events, right? The criticism that "no sane human being would ever go through this situation" isn't valid.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strip_s...ky.2C_incident

[guany]

I think "sane" is the key word there, WOV.

[with_one_voice]

I think "sane" is the key word there, WOV.

Yes, but it's still not a valid criticism to reject the film for its basic plot, which is simply ripped from the headlines.

[guany]

Yes, but it's still not a valid criticism to reject the film for its basic plot, which is simply ripped from the headlines.

Oh, I agree.

I mean, the film is obviously supposed to make the audience angry and uncomfortable. My problem is that I don't think the concept was well-executed.

[with_one_voice]

Oh, I agree.

I mean, the film is obviously supposed to make the audience angry and uncomfortable. My problem is that I don't think the concept was well-executed.

Yeah, I hear you. If "Dave" was criticizing the execution, rather than the film's premise, that's fair, but I didn't get that from what he wrote, since he said things like "I can't get over the absurdity".

BTW, loving the new caption on your sig

[coldmess]

I understand what Dave is saying and I think I agree. The film hides behind "based on a true story" but nothing else in the film tries to make the audience actually believe the events happening on the screen are believable. There is nothing to this film other than "ha ha working class people are dumb" and it could have been so much more.

[erikdean]

This was so creepy!!

I wanted a shower afterwards.

[VSW]

This made me so damn uncomfortable! Ugh. Not sure how I really feel about it as a whole since it's way too disturing. Dowd was great, I think and perhaps worthy of an Oscar nomination. Loved the last scene.

[Pingy]

This scared the shit out of me. Watching a 20/20 clip on the real case now.

Kick out Hathaway and throw in Ann Dowd.

[skgai]

WOW! WOW! WOW! I put this in the Blu-Ray to see if Ann Dowd was all she was cracked up to be and what I got was the best film of the year. Or it would have been had Cloud Atlas not arrived in 2012. I mean, what a stunning film. Craig Zobel, the director/writer, knew exactly how to tell this story. And it's so topical. I mean, this is straight out of Penn State. The psychology of how an evil person can convince you to do something you know is wrong. How, without values, society is infinitely corruptable. How protection for the underage is imperative because they aren't fully developed. I've seen few films that could grasp such massive concepts and put it into a 1 and half hour film. And by the way, thank you for the running time. Too many movies were too long this year and this felt just right. Ann Dowd's character (who is leading by the way not even close to supporting) is brilliantly set up in the opening scene. This is the person who has this job in real life. She's not very good at her job, but she means well and tries hard, but lacks on overall understanding of her position. It brings in a great theme of the value of values. I see far too many people without values and it is made evident in Compliance how corruptible you are without them. (It's most evident in politics. Too many democrats and republicans without firm foundations in their beliefs).

After some character introductions the movie kicks into the plot and my jaw was wide open the entire time. Really, I was leaning into the screen with my mouth wide open. I laughed at several parts because I was seeing things that have never been filmed so well and with such a keen eye into how people think. I wasn't disbelieving the situation, but I was shocked at how far the screenwriter was willing to take the story. To never look away. To play out the plot in real time. Showing all of the small looks and beats really explains how something like this is possible. I've read the objections in this forum to the plot and I must say the movie actually answers all of them. Ann Dowd's character does have her doubts. Once the caller asks for a strip search she is extremely hesitant. It's a good 2 minutes before she's willing to do it and that's only after the girl has agreed to it going on. Several characters do question the validity of the situation. I love that Kevin, the 17-year old (or so) is the first to say "Fuck this." And I love that the old guy who you may have suspected of being a creep takes two sentences to realize it's a scam. This was perfectly executed storytelling.

And I love the third act. Following the police investigation and getting the 60 Minutes style interview with Ann Dowd's character really showed the whole nature of the event. How stunningly simple it is the blind yourself from the truth. And how big the subtleties of law and lawyers control our lifestyle.