Experimenter (2015)

In 1961, famed social psychologist Stanley Milgram conducted a series of radical behavior experiments that tested ordinary humans' willingness to obey authority.

Director:

Michael Almereyda

Writer:

Michael Almereyda

Stars:

John Palladino, Anthony Edwards, Jim Gaffigan

3 wins & 5 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
John Palladino	...	John Williams
Anthony Edwards	...	Miller
Jim Gaffigan	...	James McDonough
Peter Sarsgaard	...	Stanley Milgram
Harley Ware	...	Alan Elms
Winona Ryder	...	Alexandra 'Sasha' Milgram
Jason Black	...	Sasha's Suitor
Kyla Noelle	...	Party Hostess (as Kyla Haggerty)
Danny A. Abeckaser	...	Braverman
John Leguizamo	...	Taylor
Donnie Keshawarz	...	Bruno
Minnie	...	Elephant in the Room
Tom Farrell	...	Whittaker
Anton Yelchin	...	Rensaleer
Taryn Manning	...	Mrs. Lowe

Storyline

Experimenter is based on the true story of famed social psychologist Stanley Milgram, who in 1961 conducted a series of radical behavior experiments that tested ordinary humans' willingness to obey by using electric shock. We follow Milgram, from meeting his wife Sasha through his controversial experiments that sparked public outcry.

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Plot Keywords:

psychologist | electric shock | human behavior | milgram | experiment | 

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Taglines:

Illusion sets the stage. Deception reveals the truth.

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Genres:

Biography | Drama | History

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for thematic material and brief strong language

Did You Know?

Trivia

Second film to feature John Leguizamo and Edoardo Ballerini, the first being The Pest in (1997).

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Goofs

In scenes set in 1961-1963, Stanley Milgram owns a 1966 Plymouth Belvedere.

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Quotes

Donna Abbott: How do you justify the deception?
Stanley Milgram: I like to think of it as illusion, not deception. Semantics, you may say, but illusion, you know, has a revelatory function, as in a play. Illusion can set the stage for revelation, to reveal certain difficult-to-get-at truths.
Donna Abbott: But still, when you go to see a play, you pay for a ticket. You know you're seeing a play. These people didn't know it wasn't real. You tricked them.
Stanley Milgram: "Hello, today we'll be doing an experiment about blind obedience to malevolent authority. ...
[...]

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Crazy Credits

A cast credit: "Elephant in the Room: Minnie"

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Connections

References The Tenth Level (1976)

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Soundtracks

Symphony No. 9 in D Minor, Op. 125 (Ode To Joy)
Performed & Arranged by Dennis Martin
Composed by Ludwig van Beethoven

User Reviews

Very interesting story

While some people complain this movie is boring, I believe it is a really compelling story and includes very easy-to-understand explanations to Milgram's experiments (which I consider fascinating). It was not meant to be a super original or fast-paced movie, so I don't see how the "boring" adjective is fitting. Its aim was to describe what he had done and how it was interpreted and its impact on society. So yes, I recommend it for whoever is interested in his theories.

Details

Official Sites:

Official Facebook Official site

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

16 October 2015 (USA)

Also Known As:

Experimenter

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$8,682, 18 October 2015

Gross USA:

$155,575

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$224,145

Company Credits

Production Co:

BB Film Productions, FJ Productions, Intrinsic Value Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

98 min

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.78 : 1