Detachment

Cast: Adrien Brody, Marcia Gay Harden, Christina Hendricks, Sami Gayle, Betty Kaye, Lucy Liu, Tim Blake Nelson, Louis Zorich, Bryan Cranston, Blythe Danner and James Caan

Written By: Carl Lund

Directed By: Tony Kaye

Genre: Drama

Running Time: 1 hour, 38 minutes

Release Date: April 25, 2011

MPAA Rating: Not Rated (it’s an “R” style, though)

Summary

In general, Detachment is a film about teachers. It’s also about how schools, and parents, fall short of what their kids need them to be. It’s filmed in almost a documentary style, which makes it feel even more like the truth.

Things are seen from the perspective of teachers. How parents and students treat them, how the administration devalues them, and the challenges of their home lives. It’s a film that is compelling, disturbing, and memorable.

Adrien’s Role: Henry Barthes

Henry Barthes (pronounced “Barth”) is a substitute high school teacher. He is dealing with the challenges of: his job, an underage sex worker he takes under his wing, a troubled teacher’s pet, his ill grandfather, and his tragic past.

Adrien is so good in Detachment, it’s almost ridiculous. If this had been a more widely-seen movie, he probably would have received another Oscar nomination for it. His performance is subtle when needed, and intense where called for. Henry’s personality is complicated, to say the least. He straddles the line between caring, and trying not to care, and Adrien sells every bit of it.

When asked about his favorite work, or his underrated work, this movie almost always comes up. And for good reason.

In Closing

Detachment is a must-watch for anyone interested in Adrien Brody’s work. It may be hard to watch at times, but it’s worth it for the overall experience. It really is one of his best performances.

Score

Movie Overall: 8/10
Brody Performance: 9/10

Trailer