‘Compliance,’ with Ann Dowd, is a terrifying tale based on real events
In Compliance, writer-director Craig Zobel crafts perhaps the scariest movie of 2012. This is not a genre-specific horror movie with vampires, werewolves and things that go bump in the night. This a harrowing tale based on real events where ordinary people are asked to do nightmarish tasks.
The movie is difficult to get through because the actors, working off Zobel’s script, seem so realistic.
Becky (Dreama Walker) works at a fast-food restaurant where Sandra (Ann Dowd) serves as manager. It’s a stressful day that only grows more stressful as the minutes tick by.
The plot takes a turn when a strange phone call comes through from the local authorities, and Sandra takes the call. The man on the other end claims that Becky has committed a crime and that Sandra needs to begin the interrogation before the police arrive on the scene. The manager, believing she’s talking to a police officer, follows the guidelines, even after these instructions start escalating into a realm that is terrifying.
What starts off as an everyday, fly-on-the-wall look at a restaurant’s staff turns into a complete nightmare for Becky. The film is apparently based on real events, which makes the story that much more horrifying.
Dowd and Walker are joined by a group of actors who buy into their parts and play the action as purely realistic. Their commitment to the roles is what elevates the movie to such a powerful believability. Among the cast are James McCaffrey, Bill Camp, Pat Healy and Ashlie Atkinson.
Dowd is quickly becoming a go-to person for important supporting roles, and it’s nice to see her in a leading performance. Appearing in everything from The Leftovers to Masters of Sex to True Detective, Dowd seems to pop up in many quality television shows. Small indies like Compliance allow her to bring her unique style of acting to a much deeper role. Her Sandra is a tough character to play; she’s seemingly all smiles and helpful leadership in the beginning of the story, but then she crosses the line and never lets common decency overcome her desire to follow the rules. It’s almost as if every character is following a program that tells them to inflict harm with thought of the consequences.
Walker also offers a powerful performance in a difficult role. At first, she’s horrified that these false allegations are being said about her, but then the plot becomes more bizarre.
It’s tough to recommend Compliance because it’s so unpleasant to watch. It’s certainly well made and features powerful performances, but the subject matter is so unsettling and scary that the film won’t be welcomed by everyone. As it stands, Zobel’s movie serves as a cautionary tale of what can go wrong in a purported professional setting where rules and authority figures have unchecked power. Hopefully this never happens again.
By John Soltes / Publisher / John@HollywoodSoapbox.com
- Compliance
- 2012
- Written and directed by Craig Zobel
- Starring Ann Dowd, Dreama Walker, Ashlie Atkinson, Pat Healy, James McCaffrey and Bill Camp
- Running time: 90 minutes
- Rated R for language and sexual content/nudity
- Rating:
