Compliance

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Compliance

R

2012

1h 30m

Mystery & Thriller

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

89%

Tomatometer

141 Reviews

60%

Popcornmeter

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

Mar 2, 2020

3.5/4

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.

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Deborah Ross

The Spectator

Sep 4, 2018

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.

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Steve Erickson

Village Voice

Feb 22, 2018

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

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Jordan M. Smith

IONCINEMA.com

Nov 16, 2020

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.

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David Harris

Spectrum Culture

Nov 11, 2019

2.4/5

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

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Ellie Lucas

From the Front Row

Aug 6, 2019

3.5/4

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

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Denis B

@DenisB Aug 25, 2026

It would be hard to believe if it wasn’t a true story.

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KS T

@RT37697895 Jul 31, 2026

This was by far one of the worst movies I’ve ever seen. Had to turn it off half way through. As stated by some one else in reviews - I want to fly into outer space if this is how stupid people are (based on a true story) also- I would rather not see a teenagers boobs like was that really necessary ? Whoever gives this good ratings is huge red flag and needs to be mentally evaluated 🤮

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Thomas H.

@therbert2653 Feb 14, 2026

blind obedience is a bad thing

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Miss T

@_MARY_84 Dec 4, 2025

Inconsistente, nada creíble desde los primeros 10 minutos, absoluta carencia de credibilidad. No solo no me mantuvo en tension, sino que es ofensiva la estupidez de los personajes mostrados en la pelicula. A destacar como punto fuerte la interpretación de las dos protagonistas, que es lo único que al final engancha.

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Leonardo M

@leosblinds Nov 28, 2025

I couldnt believe the utter stupidity of the characters, and this being based on real events is a complete absurdity.

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Paul B

@PB21243016 Nov 16, 2025

A very chilling, and scary, account of real life events that occurred in a McDonald's restaurant. It shows how blind obedience to authority can take you to very dark places. It should serve as a warning in the current toxic environment in the USA.

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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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