How are you to imagine anything, if the images are always provided for you?

Detachment

Initially, this seemed like your typical film about an optimistic teacher who goes to work at an inner city school with the hopes of saving all the students by giving them someone who genuinely cares about them. You’ve seen this film, right? Within the first day, the teacher’s optimism crashes as he/she realizes that it won’t be that easy. But by the end, they do manage to touch at least one person and change their lives for the better.

Well, Detachment is not completely unlike those films, but it does have a sense of reality and rawness the others lack.

Henry Barthes (Adrien Brody) is a substitute teacher that has seen it all before. We understand what kind of teacher he is in within the first scene when he kicks a student out of class for calling another student a vulgar name. When another student calls him a name, he proceeds as if it did not happen saying he doesn’t have feelings. He’s a savior for all but himself.

In this moment, we realize the quote in the beginning credits not only inspired the title of the film but also describes our protagonist.

“And never have I felt so deeply at one and the same time so detached from myself and so present in the world.” –Albert Camus

Barthes sees the world around him for what it is and realizes he is living in this place far from perfection but knows he can only do so much to change it.

Barthes is supporting his grandfather in an assistant living facility, as he is getting more and more delusional. Their relationship was strong at one point, as Barthes seems to be the only one who can calm his grandfather when his condition spikes. 

Two young girls in this film, Erika and Merideth bring out a strong theme. The film as whole, but especially these two characters, stress the negatives that occur when people who are responsible for children do not fulfill their obligation. Children need to know they are loved, believed in and cherished.

Barthes says, “There should be a…pre-requisite, a curriculum for being a parent before people, attempt, “don’t try this at home.”

Erica (Sami Gayle) is a young girl selling herself for a living. We meet her not too far into the film when we are still developing our feelings about Barthes. He invites her into his home and, although we want to think he won’t, we wonder how far he will go with her. However, he only offers her food, insists she get tested for STDs and offers to let her stay the night.

Their relationship quickly grows into genuine companionship as they become each other’s confidants.

Merideth (Betty Kaye) is a student in Barthes’ class. She is the constant regret of her father who wanted a boy for a child, and that is only where the disappointment starts. She is a dark artist and her parents cannot understand. Barthes attempts to help her through her struggles, but in the end it is too much for her to handle and she commits suicide.

Barthes says, “Some of us, believed that we can make a difference, and then sometimes, we wake up and we realized, we failed.” It becomes even more evident that you can only do so much in the world.

However this film has optimistic overtones. Although Barthes loses Merideth, he manages to get Erica off the street and into a foster facility. In the end, he goes to visit a much happier her.

Detachment has an interesting narrative style that has nondiegetic confessional-like interviews interspersed throughout the film.  This style was well used as it allowed us insight into Barthes’ character, feelings and actions.

Most characters were well developed which allowed us to invest in them, for better or worse. The story was more believable. Although, I do wonder if there are any teenagers that really speak that vulgarly. Apart form the dramatic writing, this film was well done in a way other films in this genre aren’t.

Unlike Freedom Writers, The Ron Clark Story and other similar plots, Detachment doesn’t create a false sense of perfect resolution. The world still exists as it did when these films are over, and the one person who managed to overcome adversaries is still just one person.

Detachment does a nice job of showing this, while creating a heavy, but not depressing film.

Paperstreet Films, Appian Way and Kingsgate Films present a film directed by Tony Kaye. Screenplay by Carl Lund. Produced by Greg Shaprio and Carl Lund. Running time: 97 minutes. Starring Adrien Brody, Christina Hendricks and Marcia Gay Harden.