Taglines: How far would you go?
Sandra, a manager of a fast-food restaurant in the ChickWich chain, receives a phone call from a prank caller referring to himself as Officer Daniels. Claiming to have spoken with the regional manager, he states that the police received a complaint that an employee of the restaurant had stolen money from a customers purse that day.
Daniels explains that he is preoccupied with the search of the suspected thiefs home and that Sandra would have to detain and question the staff member about the theft. With Daniels on the phone, Sandra agrees to help and summons Becky, who fits the callers description of the perpetrator.
Becky denies committing any theft, but complies with Sandra and Daniels when she is escorted into an office in the rear of the restaurant. The caller asks a series of questions and instructs Sandra to search Becky’s pockets and purse for the stolen cash. When the money is not found, Daniels then orders Sandra to conduct a strip search, claiming that the alternative would be Becky going to jail while the larger investigation at Becky’s home is being undertaken.
When Becky is alone, the caller implies that her brother could also face separate charges if Becky does not comply calmly with the strip search. After she has stripped, the humiliated Becky is covered only by an apron. Daniels tells Sandra to put the clothing into a bag and take it to her car for later inspection by the police. He initially claims that clothes can sometimes have imperceptible pockets, but when Sandra is perplexed by his order, he states that the larger investigation involves possession of marijuana, and that the clothing may contain faint traces of it which would aid the case.
Sandra explains to Daniels that she must resume managing the restaurant during the busy work day, and the caller instructs her to leave Becky under the watch of a male employee for security reasons. Sandra enlists Kevin for the task, but he protests the caller’s orders to inspect Becky and refuses to be involved. Eventually Sandra brings in her fiancé Van to watch over Becky. Through Daniels’ demands, Becky is ordered to remove the apron and perform jumping jacks nude for Van, under the pretense that contraband may be concealed in her body.
Compliance (2012)
Directed by: Craig Zobel
Starring: Ann Dowd, Dreama Walker, Pat Healy, Matt Servitto, Philip Ettinger, Ashlie Atkinson, Nikiya Mathis, Ralph Rodriguez, Bill Camp, Amelia Fowler, John Merolla, Desmin Borges
Screenplay by: Craig Zobel
Production Design by: Matthew Munn
Cinematography by: Adam Stone
Film Editing by: Jane Rizzo
Costume Design by: Karen Malecki
Set Decoration by: Tom McMillan
Art Direction by: Michael Powsner
Music by: Heather McIntosh
MPAA Rating: R for language and sexual content / nudity.
Distributed by: Magnolia Pictures
Release Date: August 17, 2012
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