Detachment

A seriously off-kilter piece of work, Detachment details the ongoing exploits of a well-meaning yet emotionally troubled substitute teacher (Adrien Brody’s Henry Barthes) – with the film also exploring the lives of several periphery figures (including Marcia Gay Harden’s beleaguered principal, Tim Blake Nelson’s depressive science teacher, and Sami Gayle’s brassy teen prostitute). It’s clear immediately that filmmaker Tony Kaye isn’t looking to offer up a run-of-the-mill drama revolving around an idealistic teacher in the inner city, as the director has infused the proceedings with a decidedly avant-garde vibe that does, admittedly and in the grand scheme of things, contribute little to the movie’s impact. Ostentatious visuals aside, Detachment comes off as an affecting and frequently engrossing drama that boasts one of the most impressive performances of Brody’s career – as the actor slips into the skin of his temperamental character with an ease that’s nothing short of hypnotic. Kaye, working from a script by Carl Lund, has peppered the narrative with a number of unexpectedly striking sequences that effectively perpetuate the engrossing atmosphere (eg Henry’s confrontation with an angry black student, Lucy Liu’s guidance counselor loses her temper in front of an apathetic teen, etc), and although there are a few lulls here and there, Detachment boasts a pervasively (and persistently) downbeat feel that ultimately proves impossible to resist – with the pessimistic conclusion ensuring that the film ends on a conversation-starting, thought-provoking note.

***1/2 out of ****

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