Review of Detachment (2011) by Movie M — 03 Mar 2012

I toast this film not only for its brutally honest effort, but to also numb me out a little and at least feel like I sanitized my soul after digesting this whole grimy affair. It's odd because I have come to expect these gut wrenching types of films from filmmaker Tony Kaye (American History X, Lake of Fire), but he still continues to catch me off guard in terms of how he really pushes the limits in EVERY avenue of his work.

It is pure talent how he can take such ugly as well as evil content and be able to depict it in such a beautifully thought provoking light. Racism, abortion, and the other controversial subjects Kaye likes to play around with take a slide to make room here as he tackles a more prominent problem that is plaguing our society.

And that is the screwed up state of the youth of America and the failing efforts of our school systems to rescue them from their downward spiral. The set up has been used many times over the years with films like "To Sir With Love", "Dangerous Minds", "The Substitute", "187", and even the recent documentary "Waiting For Superman".

We follow a troubled substitute teacher (Adrien Brody) as he ventures into your typical nightmare of an inner-city high school. The students are monstrous, the faculty is beaten down, and the only thing this teacher has to keep him from getting swallowed up in the inferno is the fact that he has long since been desensitized from it all.

He's a shell of a human being, made from his environment and especially FOR his environment. And the "complicated" relationships he develops with those around him in this case are ones to be remembered.

. . I won't beat around the bush in stating that if you can't handle hardcore drama or tend to get easily offended, you need to stay away from this film. Detachment will be guaranteed to scratch even the THICKEST of skins.

But by the criteria I grade by when it comes to genuine cinema; the imagery is mesmerizing, the portrayals are tragically powerful, and the content is so endearing in how it caresses the audience before knocking them out.

I cry while applauding in the sense that while I weep for the future of our race, I give an ovation to the way its depicted here. GRADE: A+.