Detachment (2011)

A substitute teacher who drifts from classroom to classroom finds a connection to the students and teachers during his latest assignment.

Director:

Tony Kaye

Writer:

Carl Lund

Stars:

Adrien Brody, Christina Hendricks, Marcia Gay Harden

8 wins & 6 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Adrien Brody	...	Henry Barthes
Marcia Gay Harden	...	Principal Carol Dearden
James Caan	...	Mr. Charles Seaboldt
Christina Hendricks	...	Ms. Sarah Madison
Lucy Liu	...	Dr. Doris Parker
Blythe Danner	...	Ms. Perkins
Tim Blake Nelson	...	Mr. Wiatt
William Petersen	...	Mr. Sarge Kepler
Bryan Cranston	...	Mr. Dearden
Sami Gayle	...	Erica
Betty Kaye	...	Meredith
Louis Zorich	...	Grampa
Isiah Whitlock Jr.	...	Mr. Mathias
Chris Papavasiliou	...	Dr. Hart
Kwoade Cross	...	Andy

Storyline

Detachment is a chronicle of three weeks in the lives of several high school teachers, administrators and students through the eyes of a substitute teacher named Henry Barthes. Henry roams from school to school, imparting modes of knowledge, but never staying long enough to form any semblance of sentient attachment. A perfect profession for one seeking to hide out in the open. One day Henry arrives at his next assignment. Upon his entry into this particular school, a secret world of emotion is awakened within him by three women. A girl named Meredith in his first period. A fellow teacher Ms. Madison, and a street hooker named Erica, whom Henry has personally granted brief shelter from the streets. Each one of these women, like Henry, are in a life and death struggle to find beauty in a seemingly vicious and loveless world.

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Plot Keywords:

teacher | school | woman wearing black lingerie | part animation | animal abuse | 

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Genres:

Drama

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Details

Official Sites:

Official site

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

1 February 2012 (France)

Also Known As:

O Substituto

Filming Locations:

Mineola High School - 10 Armstrong Road, Garden City Park, Long Island, New York, USA

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$10,739, 18 March 2012, Limited Release

Gross USA:

$71,177, 29 April 2012

Company Credits

Production Co:

Paper Street Films, Appian Way, Kingsgate Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

98 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Michael Wincott was considered for a role.

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Goofs

In the morning of Erica's first stay in Henry's flat, we see Henry on the roof wearing the ring which Erica will give him days later as a present.

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Quotes

Henry Barthes: Y'know you can't... you can't keep living on the street...
Erica: I'm not, I mean, I'm staying here with you.
Henry Barthes: Well, you can't continue to stay here with me. I'm not good for you...
Erica: That's not true. You're like, the only family I've ever had...
Henry Barthes: Well, I can't be your family, I can't give you what you need. You have to understand, you should be...
Erica: You're good and gentle, you're the most kind... I love you Henry. Don't let them take me, please nooooooooo, you're all I have, please don't let me go.
[...]

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Crazy Credits

[intertitle near start] 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

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Connections

Featured in Maltin on Movies: 21 Jump Street (2012)

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Soundtracks

Distress
Written by Taylor Eigsti

User Reviews

Wow wonderful film

Terrence Malick should take a look at this movie to understand how art films are supposed to be made not just images reflecting on a screen but real emotions included. This was an outstanding movie and in my eyes should of got more recognition and probably the Best Picture of 2011. Adrian Brodys deserved a nomination for his performance as a substitute teacher who does not want a full time gig because he does not want to be emotionally attached to his students. He shows real raw emotion in his position.

I just want to say props to the director who did an outstanding job not trying to be too artsy and trying to make all viewers happy instead of one group of viewers. By far the best movie I have seen from 2011.