COMPLIANCE

A highly disturbing, thought provoking, psychological tension-horror film with the theme of the suggestibility of people to do what they are told when the requests are made by a person who looks like and/or acts and/or announces that he is an authority figure.

Bill had to stop watching the film several times. He got all churned up and emotionally caught up in the gradual degradation of the characters.

It is based on a series of true cruel pranks and mostly from an incident that happened at a Mcdonald's in Kentucky. Sandra, a manager at a fast food restaurant, is called by a man identifying himself as a police officer who says that one of her employees stole some money from a customer. she is asked to take Becky aside and question her until he and his fellow cops can come to the store. When Becky denies taking any money, the 'cop' then asks Sandra to search her pockets and purse. When this doesn't reveal any money, she is then asked to strip search Becky.

These events are taking place amidst a busy Friday night with a constant influx of customers adding to Sandra's stress. The caller cajoles Sandra, meets her protests with guilt inducing statements and also talks to Becky and threatens her with jail if she doesn't cooperate. He also praises Sandra when it appears that she finally has reached the end of her compliance; telling her she is handling this so well, she could be a junior deputy.!

The extent of what Sandra is asked to do and the extent of what Becky submits to is shocking and the movie does an excellent job of very slowly and patiently drawing you into this situation so in addition to open mouthed exclamations of surprise and disgust, you start to think about your own pacifity in a similar circumstance. The movie serves as  an excellent topic of fierce discussion with fellow film viewers.

I gave it a 9; bill gave it a 7.