The Stanford Prison Experiment
The Stanford Prison Experiment

Movie spotlight

The Stanford Prison Experiment

2015
Movie
122 min
English

In 1971, Stanford's Professor Philip Zimbardo conducts a controversial psychology experiment in which college students pretend to be either prisoners or guards, but the proceedings soon get out of hand. Based on a true story.

Insights

IMDb6.4/10
Rotten Tomatoes77%
Metacritic64/100
Google Users85%
Director: Kyle Patrick AlvarezGenres: Drama, Thriller, Crime

Plot Summary

This film dramatizes the controversial 1971 Stanford Prison Experiment, where college students were assigned roles as prisoners or guards in a simulated prison environment. The experiment quickly escalates out of control as the guards become increasingly authoritarian and the prisoners suffer significant psychological distress. The film chronicles the rapid descent into abuse and the ethical questions raised by the study's design and execution.

Critical Reception

The film received generally positive reviews from critics, who praised its tense atmosphere, strong performances, and unflinching portrayal of the experiment's psychological toll. Some found the depiction disturbing, while others lauded its exploration of human behavior under duress and the ethical implications of the study.

What Reviewers Say

  • Praised for its compelling and unsettling portrayal of the infamous experiment.

  • Noted for strong performances, particularly from its young cast.

  • Felt by some to be a harrowing, albeit sometimes slow, examination of power dynamics.

Google audience: Google users generally found the film to be a thought-provoking and intense exploration of the Stanford Prison Experiment. Many appreciated its faithfulness to the actual events and the disturbing psychological impact it depicted, while a few felt it was difficult to watch due to its dark subject matter.

Fun Fact

The film was shot entirely on Arri Alexa digital cameras, and director Kyle Patrick Alvarez aimed for a look that felt authentic to the early 1970s, using period-accurate sets and costumes.

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My Review

TMDB Reviews

3 reviews
r96sk

r96sk

I don't think they quite nailed what they were going for with this film, but I can't deny it does make for fairly uncomfortable viewing - which is the intention, I guess. <em>'The Stanford Prison Experiment'</em> has a very localised and...

John Chard

John Chard

Another very worthwhile production of a chilling real life experiment. The Stanford Prison Experiment makes for compelling reading/viewing, whichever format you choose to partake in, it's science gone bonkers and has the power to chill t...

Reno

Reno

**Be cautious about what you're signing for!** Do you remember the Kubrick's film 'A Clockwork Orange', well, I'm not saying it is the same or similar film or storyline, but it reminded how it affects those people who are involved in a s...

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