An impressive ensemble headlined (but not defined) by Adrien Brody. And as a substitute teacher myself, the surface subject matter is of course appealing, but as a human, the movie's deeper meaning screams at me. This tests us as an audience and is not meant to "entertain". It's over the top in a lot of ways, but it uses that hyperbole quite effectively as a means of getting across that the educational and societal systems we depend on are fucked, by forcing people who care not to care anymore.

It's well put together, and there were moments of an amazing film, but the whole thing was to exaggerated. That many bad things happening at once works for the movie I guess, but it's just not at all realistic. Adrien Brody gives a fantastic performance, and the speech Lucy Liu gives to the girl at one point was really emotional. I saw the suicide a mile away, so it wasn't very impactful for me. The hooker character reminded me of a young Natalie Portman, which is a good thing.

As one would expect from Kaye, this is very in your face but it also contains very interesting ideas and dialogue, and the performances are terrific throughout. It's just too messy and mishandled to be considered great or even truly good.

Some nice moments but not enough to counter the tired script, the lame stylistic gimmicks, the overwrought climax and Adrian Brody.

An "aims high, falls short" affair that touches on contentious issues but fails to build up to a satisfying conclusion. Brody's excellent and the Erica subplot hits a genuine dramatic note, but the rest came off as preachy and insubstantial and failed to win me over.

Wow - why teach? Overall, interesting move, apt title. Not a big fan of the cutaway pseudo-documentary interviews, but great Adrien Brody performance

Too schematic and inconclusive. James Caan had some great dialogues though.

5 feb 2012

I simply hope some will take notice and appreciate it for what it is. But you gotta commit to watching it all. If I'd have had to quit in the middle, I probably wouldn't have gone back to finish it either. After all this re-consideration, I'm upgrading it to a 10/10--Masterpiece. Available on VOD.

plotless and senseless movie,no logic

Detachment has a detached editing and cinematography style. A detached narrativ and is loose genrewise. It also has some of the greatest actors in hollywood - too many - to help the movie seem more detached. It all starts with quote by Camus saying he is detached from himself and the world. Detachment also has some ok, albeit a bit detached, scenes, and Caan is wonderfully vulgeur which makes detachment a barely ok film. Parts of the Brody- story is both horrible and sensibel; detached?

Not the sort of movie anyone wants to see. An important portrait of the crushing burden of caring, while pretending not to, in an institution and society that works against value. Not for the weak. Not entertaining. Great film.