Review of Detachment (2011) by Nick C — 27 Feb 2012

Viewer be warned: "Detachment" is far from uplifting. A small, no-name film that premiered at multiple film festivals in 2011, "Detachment" tells an important story about the educational system, the rift between teachers, parents and children, the feeling of separation we all experience and the pain in us all. Pulling absolutely no punches and hitting the audience repeatedly in the face with over-the-top, but honest darkness, "Detachment" is the best film you haven't seen from 2011 or won't see in 2012.

Henry Barthes (Adrien Brody) is a substitute teacher who moves from school to school, avoiding any real connection with the students and faculty he comes into contact with. With the pain of his past welled up inside of him, Henry is put to the rest when he has to juggle school, his dying grandfather and a teenage girl he has just taken in from off the streets.

In general, "Detachment" is a rare feat. While watching, everything should be screaming melodrama. Obviously, the material is far from uplifting. The final product that comes to fruition is something far greater than an overly dramatic piece that simply wishes to inform. "Detachment" wishes to simply show and, like its main focus, teach. Somehow a story that appears to be so bleak and over-the-top can contain elements as authentic as they come. The writing is carefully articulated. The acting is expressive, yet properly suppressed. The characters feel real as do their struggles, pain, suffering and loneliness. The point isn't to dictate emotional response in light of a certain situation; it's to recognize the emotion that comes with our lives.

In its finest form, "Detachment" is a look at the American educational system, particularly the relationship between parent, teacher and student. Really, it boils down to a dynamic. The parents struggle with the kids at home, thus there is more pressure put on the educators to get the most out of the kids away from home. With this comes an overall sense of pain and therefore need to place blame somewhere. When all is said and done, there is a lack of recognition for everyone when everyone so desperately requires it. Parents, teachers and kids alike just want to be appreciated and to know that they're having an impact whether it is inside the walls of the schools or outside. In turn, the kids need some consistency with people who can level with them and relate to them regardless of where that may come from. In this sense, "Detachment" isn't just a film about education, but a film about life between young, old and everything in between of all generations.

At the core of "Detachment" is the need to share experiences with one another. The importance of having someone to look out for you, to listen to you, to empathize with you, and to generally be there for you is key. "Detachment" deals with the internal battle within us all to recognize an understanding in each other's pain, but struggle to connect out of fear. Not just in the educational branch of life, but in all areas outside of it, there is a powerful fear of being held accountable. Understanding and guidance may help keep someone on the right track, but, in Henry's case, he himself is scarred and mislead to begin with. It becomes a personal battle whether to reach out, connect and help, or reach out, and instill your own bleakness on others. A major theme of "Detachment" comes right in its title. Henry's practice is keeping away from others by separation; therefore keeping his own darkness away from others. This creates one of the film's most recurring themes: thinking you're alone. In reality, everyone hurts. Everyone feels pain. It is the dilemma whether or not sharing each other's pain is of value or of further destruction.

For Henry, his own pain is brought back full-bore when he sees eye-to-eye with those suffering around him. The detachment that he practices isn't just for the sake of those around him, but also for himself. Even in moments where the other party may be benefiting, the feeling of inadequacy due to his own pain and darkness holds Henry back from a healthy relationship and/or connection. In the end, detachment is universal for all involved. The parents are detached with the kids who become detached from the teachers. The ideas of recognition, pain, understanding and connection become vital to success or failure. When all is said and done, getting past this sense of detachment could be the light at the end of the tunnel or, at the least, make a difference in even one person's life.

"Detachment" is somewhat of a shock. Our culture has exposed us to the story of the failing educational system in which one powerful, up-to-the-task figure steps in and turns things around. "Detachment" offers a breath of fresh air to the genre in the form of a bleak and depressing eye-opener. The problems that exist within our systems and within ourselves cannot be fixed by a few people. The realization that we are all in this together must be reached. The fear, anxiety, uncertainty and pain must be shared in order for progress to be made. Featuring a script that captures the disconnect of us all, acting that suggests a universal repression of vulnerability, a score that rings of loneliness, and a powerhouse performance from Adrien Brody, "Detachment" is a must-see for each and every one of us.