The Stanford Prison Experiment

2015 • 121 minutes
4.0
561 reviews
84%
Tomatometer
R
Rating
Eligible
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About this movie

What happens when a college psych study goes shockingly wrong? In this tense, psychological thriller based on the notorious true story, Billy Crudup stars as Stanford University professor Dr. Philip Zimbardo, who, in 1971, cast 24 student volunteers as prisoners and guards in a simulated jail to examine the source of abusive behavior in the prison system. The results astonished the world, as participants went from middle-class undergrads to drunk-with-power sadists and submissive victims in just a few days. Winner of two awards at the Sundance Film Festival, including Best Screenplay, and created with the close participation of Dr. Zimbardo himself, 'The Stanford Prison Experiment' is a chilling, edge-of-your-seat thriller about the dark side of power and the effects of imprisonment. Featuring an extraordinary cast of rising young actors, including Ezra Miller, Olivia Thirlby, Tye Sheridan, Keir Gilchrist, Michael Angarano, and Thomas Mann.
Rating
R

Ratings and reviews

4.0
561 reviews
Caroline Miles
December 20, 2015
I was intrigued by how this movie would play out just by reading the description and watching the trailer. All in all the movie is amazing but what's more amazing is how things didn't get violent and turn out really really bad. I still can't believe this was based on a true experiment and somebody didn't leave in a body bag or at least severely beaten. Can't wait to read the book. This one is definitely a must see!!!!!
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Monique Marie
June 4, 2016
This movie is very accurate. I've seen the documentary so I'm not sure why I decided to watch this movie I guess I thought it would be a little different. It's not a fun movie to watch and I would not suggest it to anyone however if you were just watching this for educational purposes it is a good well-put-together movie.
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full metal horseman
November 28, 2015
Excellent film. One thing made me laugh though, during the Frankenstein bit the john Wayne pops up and says " get close " it is so ridiculous in a moment that should have been disturbing.
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