Based on true events, Compliance is a startling and stark film about a prank caller (Pat Healy) who convinces a fast food restaurant manager (Ann Dowd) to interrogate an innocent young employee (Dreama Walker), in a way that changes all of their lives, forever.  Recognized for her work in the small indie drama, Ann Dowd was honored with a Virtuosos Award at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival (SBIFF).  Collider was there to cover and attend the event, and we’ve compiled the highlights of what the actress had to say, both on the press line and during the Q&A.

While there, Ann Dowd talked about how gratifying the response to the film has been, along with her work in it, why she felt she could bring something to this character, what it was like to work with co-star Pat Healy entirely over the phone, how protective she felt of Dreama Walker, and the horrifying experience of her first professional acting job.  Check out what she had to say after the jump.

The nominations for the 2013 Independent Spirit Awards have been announced, and Oscar hopefuls Silver Linings Playbook and Moonrise Kingdom lead the pack.  Both films picked up nominations for Best Feature, Director, and Screenplay with Jennifer Lawrence and Bradley Cooper landing acting noms for SLP and Bruce Willis garnering a swell Best Supporting Actor nomination for his work in Moonrise Kingdom.  Beasts of the Southern Wild, Bernie, and Keep the Lights On round out the Best Feature nominees, while The Perks of Being a Wallflower and Safety Not Guaranteed were singled out for the Best First Feature award.  Also, Matthew McConaughey pulled double nominations for his stellar work in this year’s Magic Mike and Killer Joe, landing a Best Supporting Actor and Best Actor nod, respectively.  Notably shut out of the race entirely was Leos Carax‘s critically-lauded Holy Motors.

Hit the jump to check out the full list of nominations.  The winners of the 2013 Spirit Awards will be announced on Saturday, February 23, 2013.

[This is a re-post of my review from the 2012 Sundance Film Festival.  Compliance opens in limited release today.]

In recent memory, only last year’s Martha Marcy May Marlene made my skin crawl and stomach turn like Compliance. In some ways, Compliance is far worse since it goes beyond two people and instead casts an accusatory finger at humanity and asks, “How easily can you be tricked into dehumanizing another person?” Craig Zobel‘s incredible script and brilliant direction slowly puts you in a chokehold until you’re struggling to breathe and begging to be let go. Compliance is almost impossibly difficult to endure and it only eases up when Zobel makes a minor mistake in casting, explanation, or resolution. But these are small missteps in a film that sickens you to your core. And then it gets worse when you remember that the story is based on true events.

The trailer for Craig Zobel‘s Compliance has gone online.  The film, based on true events, revolves around the employees at a fast food restaurant who bend to the wills of a disembodied voice on the telephone claiming to be a police officer.  I saw the film at Sundance, and it made my skin crawl and stomach turn.  It’s a movie where you want to chastise the characters for being stupid, but deep down you’re forced to seriously consider if you would have behaved the same way in their position.  Zobel did a tremendous job creating a psychological thriller that gets into some interesting and unnerving questions about human psychology.  The trailer’s worth watching although it could have done a better job at highlighting the film’s creepiness.

Hit the jump to check out the trailer.  The film stars Ann Dowd, Dreama Walker, Pat Healy, and Bill Camp.  Compliance opens August 17th.

In recent memory, only last year’s Martha Marcy May Marlene made my skin crawl and stomach turn like Compliance.  In some ways, Compliance is far worse since it goes beyond two people and instead casts an accusatory finger at humanity and asks, “How easily can you be tricked into dehumanizing another person?”  Craig Zobel‘s incredible script and brilliant direction slowly puts you in a chokehold until you’re struggling to breathe and begging to be let go.  Compliance is almost impossibly difficult to endure and it only eases up when Zobel makes a minor mistake in casting, explanation, or resolution.  But these are small missteps in a film that sickens you to your core.  And then it gets worse when you remember that the story is based on true events.