Compliance(2012) Apr 2026

is a psychological thriller written and directed by Craig Zobel that dramatizes the disturbing reality of blind obedience to authority. The film centers on a fast-food manager, Sandra (Ann Dowd), who receives a call from a man claiming to be a police officer. He accuses a young employee, Becky (Dreama Walker), of theft and manipulates Sandra and other staff into subjecting Becky to increasingly invasive and humiliating "interrogations". Real-Life Inspiration

The movie is a stark recreation of the Mount Washington, Kentucky strip search scam from 2004. It was just one of over 70 similar incidents reported across the U.S., where a caller—later identified as David Stewart—manipulated management into performing illegal acts on employees. Key Themes & Psychological Concepts Compliance(2012)