IMDb 6.4 2012 HD

Compliance

Compliance

2012
Drama Thriller
90 min R USA
6.357 / 10
6.4 IMDB

On a particularly busy day at a suburban Ohio fast food restaurant, manager Sandra receives a phone call from a police officer saying that an employee has stolen…

Personnel // Cast & Crew

Director Craig Zobel / Josh Newport / Harry Nangle / Juan Mazara / Jean-Paul Chreky
Starring
Ann Dowd / Dreama Walker / Pat Healy / Bill Camp / Philip Ettinger / James McCaffrey / Matt Servitto / Ashlie Atkinson

How Viewers Describe This Film

Common themes and sentiments

unsettling disturbing thought-provoking tense powerful chilling realistic challenging bleak compelling uncomfortable

Reviews

Z
Zara Khan
Apr 25, 2026
3.0 / 5
3.0

Compliance presents a scenario that is as disturbing as it is thought-provoking. The film’s strength lies in its exploration of how easily individuals can be coerced into actions that defy common sense, all under the guise of authority.…

L
Liam O'Connell
Apr 25, 2026
4.0 / 5
4.0

A truly provocative piece of cinema, Compliance is built on a foundation of psychological suspense. The premise, involving a phone call from a supposed police officer, sets in motion a series of increasingly disturbing events within a fast-food…

G
Genevieve Dubois
Apr 25, 2026
3.5 / 5
3.5

Compliance offers a stark and unflinching look at the dark side of human compliance. Ann Dowd is exceptional, portraying a woman grappling with a situation that spirals far beyond her control. The film’s realism is its greatest asset,…

M
Marcus Bellwether
Apr 25, 2026
4.5 / 5
4.5

This is a film that burrows under your skin and stays there. Compliance uses a simple, seemingly mundane premise to unravel a terrifying exploration of how easily social dynamics and perceived authority can lead to horrific outcomes. Dreama…

E
Eleanor Vance
Apr 25, 2026
4.0 / 5
4.0

Compliance is a masterfully crafted, albeit deeply uncomfortable, examination of obedience and authority. Ann Dowd delivers a powerhouse performance as a fast-food manager caught in an increasingly bizarre and distressing situation. The film's strength lies in its chillingly…

FAQs

The tone of Compliance is deliberately tense and claustrophobic. The film builds an atmosphere of escalating dread through its grounded, realistic setting and the increasingly disturbing actions of its characters. It avoids sensationalism, instead relying on psychological realism to create a palpable sense of unease that lingers long after viewing.