COMPLIANCE

US, 2012, 90 minutes, Colour.
Ann Dowd, Dreama Walker, Pat Healy, Bill Camp.
Directed by Craig Zobel.

This is not the film to hurry off to if you are after light entertainment. It is a film that rouses strong emotions about some very difficult issues. It is certainly a film that would repay reflection and discussion.

It is also one of those films where the reviewer should not reveal too much of the plot. The audience needs to go with the developments in the plot and the various stages of their response to characters and themes.

The opening credits tell us that it is based on actual events. They also show a number of symbols where authority imposes restrictions on our behaviour and we generally comply – automatically. As the film develops, it questions how people respond to authority and its requirements, even to some disastrous decision-making and consequences.

We are told fairly early in the film that an employee is under suspicion at the local Chickwich diner and that the police are investigating. It is a very busy day at the diner. There have been some problems with a freezer not properly shut, not enough replacement food items for the ruined material. Sandra, the manager (Ann Dowd credible in her performance, as are other members of the cast, especially Dreama Walker as the accused and Pat Healy on the phone), is an ordinary middle-aged woman (though hoping for a proposal) with an ordinary staff of genders, ages and race, trying to manage being swamped with customers and the call from the police about the problem.

We see what Sandra does and how she handles the situation, eager to please, complying with advice, finding that for every issue she raises, the police have an answer which she accepts. The film asks what we would do in similar circumstances. Probably, we are thinking that we would have handled something particular quite differently, or that we would have noticed aspects of the police enquiry, or asked more questions.

As the film unfolds, perhaps to our expectations, perhaps not, the test of our faith in others is further questioned. Are we submissive when authority has been put on a pedestal? Unquestioning – even credulous, even gullible?

The situation at times becomes horrendous as victims suffer, as we see that trust in good faith is not enough, that we are ‘groomed’ to be obedient or, as the title suggests, ‘compliant’. And hindsight is not enough.

A pity more can’t be said in a review. It would be very interesting to know how audiences respond.

1. A small independent film? For discussion rather than entertainment?

2. The Ohio setting, the diner? Interiors, confined, the kitchen, dining area? The use of close-ups? The callers home? The contrast with the diner? Police offices, the bank at the end? Ordinary settings?

3. The title, the signs on the roads and for parking in the credits, people’s obedience, attitudes, authority, taking authority for granted, respect, not wanting trouble? The police, the status, higher authority?

4. Issues of gullibility, credulity? People who are credulous? Ordinary people, educated people, the value of experience, shrewdness? Common sense? The need for questioning? Authorities manipulating, having answers for every question? At what stage will people question?

5. The introduction to Sandra, her age, the clash with the truck man, the issue of the freezer? The dealer being rude? Her being offended? The staff arriving? The range of the staff, men and women, young and old? The meeting, the prospect of the inspection, one down, the pressure, her being swapped? The abilities of the staff? No pickles, no bacon?

6. The daily routines, the stations, the kitchen, the drive in, the detail of work, audiences feeling the atmosphere? The customers, content, complaining?

7. Becky and Kevin arriving, their friendship, talk, the problems, the freezer? Ordinary beginning of the day? Marty, strength of character, support? Harold, leaving, returning later?

8. The phone call, the police, lying, the accusation against a key, the tone of voice, his wanting to be called ‘sir’? Sandra and the presumption of the truth of the accusation? Sandra’s reaction, calling Becky, the accusation, the issue of the amount of money, the possibility of stealing, hiding the money? Lack of opportunity? Sandra compliant? Confiding in Marty, phoning Van, asking Kevin to help, trusting people?

9. The detail of what happened, the police and names, the complainant, the issue of surveillance? Becky’s brother, drugs, distribution, the examination of the house? Keeping Becky aside, removing her clothes, all her clothes, putting them in the bag, taking them to the car, Sandra’s long walk, enabling the audience to think? Becky wearing the apron, the extreme search, Marty and her reactions, Kevin listening to the situation, not wanting to participate after talking with the caller? Van, his coming, participation?

10. The audience wondering what they would do? Obedience, compliance, questioning? The plausibility of the call and the accusation?

11. The diner and its being busy, checking the phone call or not, the caller and his flattering Sandra, Kevin, Van?

12. The voice, seeing the caller doodling? Making the sandwich? The truth? His personality, manipulative, sadistic, sexually perverse? seemingly ordinary? His creating the scenario, attention to detail, plausibility? Praise? The issue of the battery? Developing the scenario? The issue of the house? Talking to Marty, Kevin, Van?

13. Van and Sandra, her hopes for an engagement? His friends, the night, the beer? Coming to the diner, his being manipulated, allowing himself to be manipulated, suspicions, the sexual innuendo, the slapping, his being given a reward, Becky’s humiliation, his own humiliation after the exploitation of Becky, his saying he did a bad thing? His leaving?

14. The nature of the professional talk, the grooming, manipulation, his panic with the battery? The later explanation of his buying mobile phones, the detection?

15. Becky, the innocent victim, the ordinary young girl? Her fear, the threat of going to prison, giving the personal details, the issue of her brother, wanting to get the ordeal over, her being shamed?

16. Kevin, his character, informed, disgusted by the caller, backing out? The other member of the staff not wanting to be involved?

17. Marty, her experience, support, yet believing the situation?

18. Sandra, everything going back to her, everybody trusting her as manager? The supervisor and his name being you used by the caller? Sandra finally agreeing to ring him, discovering that he had been sick?

19. The detective, questioning Sandra and the others? Contacting into state police? The buying of the batteries? Going to the bank, the caller and his surprise and being arrested? The audience having seeing him as a family man?

20. Sandra, the interview, the questions by the journalist, her chatting about New Orleans, her seeing herself as a victim, her puzzle?

21. The statistics, the prevalence of such calls, phone sex, manipulation and grooming, the equivalent of the rape? Lives being altered?