Everything about the portrayal of Philip Zimbardo by Billy Crudup smacks of overbooked melodrama. He is consistently shot in shadows, dressed in dark colours, complete with super-villain beard... all that is missing is a moustache-twirling moment and an inane cackle.

I'm not sure how true to the actual events the film is - I have seen articles suggesting the entire project was a set-up - but while the film is certainly watchable (and admirably designed to recreate the period), the direction and music are awfully manipulative.