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Compliance

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Compliance

R

Released Aug 17, 2012

1h 30m

Mystery & Thriller

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

89%

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141 Reviews

60%

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10,000+ Ratings

A fast-food worker (Dreama Walker) who's accused of theft is put through the wringer as her boss (Ann Dowd), at the direction of a phone caller who says he's a cop, subjects her to increasingly harsh forms of interrogation.

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Critics Consensus

Anchored by smart, sensitive direction and strong performances, Complicance is a ripped-from-the-headlines thriller that's equal parts gripping and disturbing.

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Sara Michelle Fetters

MovieFreak.com

It took me places I did not want to go, got me in a mindset so infuriating I was angry at myself for thinking the thoughts I was.

Rated: 3.5/4

Mar 2, 2020

Full Review

Deborah Ross

The Spectator

It's not an easy watch, which is kind of the point, and I'm not even sure what genre it is. Psychological horror? Thriller? But it will haunt and resonate.

Sep 4, 2018

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Steve Erickson

Village Voice

Compliance's underlying humanism and political conscience lift it beyond being a macho endurance test.

Feb 22, 2018

Full Review

Jordan M. Smith

IONCINEMA.com

Rife with the downfalls of human subservience, Compliance is a luminous, pulsating Milgram experiment come to life, and you won't be able to turn your gaze from the results.

Nov 16, 2020

Full Review

David Harris

Spectrum Culture

Writer-director Craig Zobel puts both his characters and his audience through 90 minutes of squirmy hell.

Rated: 2.4/5

Nov 11, 2019

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Mattie Lucas

From the Front Row

A complex and unnerving psychological thriller that is unmistakably the work of a promising and daring new talent.

Rated: 3.5/4

Aug 6, 2019

Full Review

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Helene S

it's an interesting idea, but the execution lets it down. too awkward and a bit unbelievable for it to be happening, maybe if they had more of a message to drive home it would have been worthwhile, but it was not focused enough.

Rated 1.5 out of 5 stars

05/23/25

Full Review

Wendy S

I’m someone who does not deal well with stupidity, which is what this movie displays!! This is supposedly based on a true story, and that’s hard to believe. To think a restaurant mgr, or anyone else involved would believe this…just nope. This was just…nope!!

Rated 1.5 out of 5 stars

03/29/25

Full Review

Morgan F

Do not waste your time with this movie. Extremely repetitive, has two scenes the entire movie 75% of it being in one place, drags on, the ignorance of the characters in this movie is unreal of what was happening to the girl and just in general.

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

01/27/25

Full Review

Drew B

It's one of those movies where you just get super annoyed that everything is going wrong even though the main character is trying to do the right thing.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

03/18/25

Full Review

Jason W

This film is based on a true story so don't listen to the commenters saying it's too unbelievable or has a weak premise - it actually happened. The movie is certainly infuriating, however - you'll want to throw things at your screen. But for what it is, it's a very well made film with a stark, in-your-face, bare-bones approach and it is totally compelling from beginning to end. My wife and I were riveted

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

12/30/24

Full Review

Douglas C

Ridiculous premise. This movie requires you to not only suspend disbelief, but also that you drive it to a vacant lot and leave it for dead. That this "Manager" would just blindly follow instructions to this degree from a voice on a phone... Ridiculous.

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

12/23/24

Full Review

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Craig Zobel

Director

Ann Dowd

Sandra

Dreama Walker

Becky

Pat Healy

Officer Daniels

Bill Camp

Van

Philip Ettinger

Kevin

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Synopsis

A fast-food worker (Dreama Walker) who's accused of theft is put through the wringer as her boss (Ann Dowd), at the direction of a phone caller who says he's a cop, subjects her to increasingly harsh forms of interrogation.

Director: Craig Zobel
Producer: Tyler Davidson, Sophia Lin, Lisa Muskat, Theo Sena, Craig Zobel
Screenwriter: Craig Zobel
Distributor: Magnolia Pictures
Production Co: Muskat Filmed Properties, Dogfish Pictures
Rating: R (Sexual Content/Nudity|Language)
Genre: Mystery & Thriller
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Aug 17, 2012, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Aug 10, 2016
Box Office (Gross USA): $311.9K
Runtime: 1h 30m

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