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Detachment

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02:06

Detachment

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• Drama

• 2011
• Tony Kaye
• 93 mins
• 15

Summary

A substitute teacher drifts from school to school, actively trying to avoid making emotional connections with either colleagues or pupils. When he takes a placement at a school with an apathetic student body and a frustrated administration, he finds himself becoming an unlikely role model. Drama, starring Adrien Brody, Marcia Gay Harden and James Caan

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IMDB

Review

A star rating of 3 out of 5.

Stella Papamichael

Adrien Brody is the quiet centre of a ferocious storm in this drama from provocative British director Tony Kaye (American History X). He plays a disillusioned supply teacher who copes with the everyday grind by remaining emotionally detached from it. But he's surrounded by chaos and rage, powerfully expressed here in confrontational close-ups and in the scathing sarcasm of school counsellor James Caan and his pressurised colleague Lucy Liu. Still, the loudest voice belongs to Kaye, whose head-on approach is sure to ruffle feathers. That vitriol feels justified as Brody's noncommittal sub finally reaches out to a talented but troubled pupil (played by Kaye's daughter, Betty), only to be admonished for being too touchy-feely. His character's attempts to rehabilitate a young hooker seems incongruous and clichéd by comparison, but newcomer Sami Gayle looks like a potential star in that role. Admittedly, the film is heavy-handed in places, but it still makes you sit up and take notice.

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7.7/10

How to watch

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Streaming

• Prime Video

Credits

Cast

rolenameHenry BarthesAdrien BrodyMs Sarah MadisonChristina HendricksPrincipal Carol DeardenMarcia Gay HardenMr Charles SeaboldtJames CaanMs PerkinsBlythe DannerDr Doris ParkerLucy LiuMr WiattTim Blake NelsonMr DeardenBryan CranstonMr Sarge KeplerWilliam L PetersenEricaSami GayleMeredithBetty KayeGrampaLouis ZorichMr MathiasIsiah Whitlock Jr

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Crew

rolenameDirectorTony Kaye

Details

Theatrical distributor

G2 Pictures

Released on

2012-07-13

Languages

English

Guidance

Swearing, sex scenes, suicide theme.

Available on

DVD and Blu-ray

Formats

Colour

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