DVD Corner

Compliance Blu-ray Review

“Compliance” is an unsettling film based on a shocking true story.

Based on true events, “Compliance” revolves around a sick phone prankster who poses as a police officer. The prankster calls a fast food restaurant called ChickWhich and claims that an employee of ChickWich stole money from a customer. The manager of ChickWich (and just about everyone the prankster speaks to on the phone) essentially become the prankster’s puppets as he makes them say and do things that are anything but police procedure. As the manager and others begin to buy into the prankster’s lies, the nasty prank begins to soon spiral out of control (I won’t spoil what happens).

“Compliance” is the type of film that is so unbelievable that it can only be true. It may seem ridiculous that people could be so stupid to buy into the prankster’s lies and yet it happened (the video of the real incident is out there to prove it). The film and the incident may be hard to stomach, but it’s an important cautionary tale about human nature, authority figures, morals, gullibility, intimidation, and the power of suggestion.

As fascinating as the material is, the movie would not have been a success had it not been for director Craig Zober and the impressive performances by Deanna Walker (the employee victim Becky), Ann Dowd (the manager Sandra) and the creepy Pat Healy as the prank caller. Zobel does a fantastic job of making the movie as tightly paced, realistic, and unnerving as possible. As for the performances, the three actors mentioned above truly make these characters believable. It’s not hard to see why Dowd was receiving some Oscar buzz as she delivers a stand-out performance as the ChickWich manager just following orders.

Video/Audio:

The film, which is presented in 2.35:1 1080p, looks very sharp for an indie film. The claustrophobic, moody cinematography really shines on Blu-ray.

I didn’t detect any problems with the 5.1 DTS-HD audio track. The phone calls, score, and dialogue sounded crisp and clear to this reviewer.

Extras:
* Trailers for Magnolia titles and a theatrical trailer for “Compliance.”
* BD-Live capabilities.
* An interview with director Craig Zobel in which he discusses the film’s story, inspirations for the film, psychology, etc.
* “Behind The Scenes Of Compliance” includes discussions about the film’s story and themes, cast and crew interviews, and set footage. Way too brief.
* “AXS TV: A Look At Compliance”- A standard featurette that sells the film.

Summary: “Compliance” isn’t an easy film to watch, but it’s one that you will think and talk about for sure.

January 17, 2013 - Posted by nicklyons1 | Blu-Ray review | Ann Dowd, Compliance Blu-ray Review, Deanna Walker, Pat Healy