Detachment - DVD

Film: Henry Barthes (Adrien Brody) doesn't have an easy job. He's a substitute teacher in New York and is constantly sent from one school to the next. He can't form a real bond with the students in the short time he's responsible for them. At the same time, this helps him to better bounce off their hostility and insults. Such is the case in a class at a high school notorious for its problems, where he clashes with a student in the very first lesson. But Henry can stay loose, unlike the teachers who have to work day after day with the rebellious, disrespectful and perspective-less students. But the longer Henry observes the goings-on at this school, the more emotionally involved he becomes in the students' and teachers' problems. A chance encounter with underage prostitute Erica (Sami Gayle) is then the final blow to Henry's emotional protective wall, which now finally collapses...

Detachment is extremely sheer fare, both in terms of its staging and its content. Director Tony Kaye (American History X) mixes almost documentary-like realism with extremely artificial moments that sometimes involve animation. It's a little unwieldy, but also very fascinating in its own special way. Watching Henry's façade collapse more and more is absolutely thrilling due to Adrien Brody's great performance alone. But also the other actors deliver great performances. Whether it's Lucy Liu, who shines in her intense confrontation with a student completely devoid of perspective and desire, a wonderful James Caan, Breaking Bad star Bryan Cranston or Mad Men beauty Christina Hendricks, they all embody failed teachers whose ideals have been destroyed by a broken school system. And while younger teachers in particular, like Ms. Madison, refuse to let go of their belief in goodness and that they can truly shape students, an old warhorse like Mr. Seaboldt has long since left that dream world and found his own unique way of coming to terms with the day-to-day burdens that come with the job.

Here and there, the film perhaps lays it on a little too thick. Especially when it comes to the friendship between Henry and streetwalker Erica, a little less would have undoubtedly been more, especially towards the end. But what Kaye really has to be credited for is that he doesn't romanticize the conditions he describes the way more well-behaved school movies like Dangerous Minds sometimes did. In terms of realism, Detachment can most readily be compared to the French drama The Class, though Kaye's film is even darker and more depressing, repeatedly punching the viewer in the pit of the stomach.

You might now think that the film deals with a purely American problem. But the ills highlighted in the story have long since moved beyond just the school system in the US. And this is exactly what makes Detachment a very important film for German viewers as well, and one that is worth discussing intensively. It is not an easy film, but a challenge that one must be prepared to face. But the ambitions of the director and the great acting of the great ensemble of actors should make it worthwhile to take a look at this work. If you like challenging independent cinema from the USA that repeatedly defies the rules of mainstream cinema, you should definitely not miss this anti-feel-good movie. Absolutely worth seeing!

Picture + Sound: Since only a data-reduced press sample was available for testing, the final picture and sound quality can unfortunately not be rated here.

Extras: Also the bonus material could not be sighted on the press DVD. For the purchase variant interviews and the trailer are announced.

Conclusion: Detachment is a superbly cast drama, which at times almost takes on documentary features, only to come across as deliberately artificial again. It's a bit unwieldy and exhausting at times. Moreover, the story itself has a rather depressing effect on the viewer. But at the same time, director Tony Kaye has succeeded in making an extremely intense film that will linger for a long time to come, thanks to Adrien Brody's outstanding performance alone. No easy viewing pleasure, but those who are prepared for heavy fare and appreciate sophisticated independent cinema from the USA should definitely not miss this work. Absolutely recommended!

An article by Frankfurt-Tipp