I don't know that I've ever seen a movie more oppressively depressing and embarrassingly overwrought than "Detachment". And I've seen myself a few of 'em.A stunning collection of acclaimed acting talent including Adrien Brody, Marcia Gay Harden, James Caan, Blythe Danner and William Peterson are uniformly wasted in this miserable mess. And that's damn hard to accomplish. It's as if the whole lot of 'em were somehow convinced to participate by Director Tony Kaye with a patronizing pitch along the lines of, "Hey. Let's all make an overly dramatic statement movie that sledgehammers the audience repeatedly over the skull about how the American public education system is egregiously failing our kids. And then, for good measure, we'll toss in some shots at the rotten state of Long Term Elderly Care Facilities while we're at it. Come on. It'll be awesome." The resultant refuse is about as "detached" from "awesome" as one can possibly conjure.There is certainly a high-caliber film to be made that draws desperately needed attention to the authentic and alarming issues raised in "Detachment". And despite apparent earnest efforts, this dispiriting debacle leaves us still wanting.

This film should be mandatory viewing for any child, parent and educator. The chest crushing weight of expectation, oppression and the 24/7 bombardment of how we should look, behave and conform is outlined brilliantly in this movie. Clearly showing on all sides that which is not understood from differing factions. Adrian Brody is yet again, excellent and really is an underrated actor. This is the 2nd film of his I have seen this month and in both (Manhattan Night) he captures the mood better than any other actor I can think of. These are my kind of films, dark, compelling and the characters absorbing and interesting. The highest praise I can give this is that it would sit well with any European cinematic effort.

First of all, you want to know if this movie was enjoyable and watchable movie . In whole, we see the efforts of a substitute teacher to try to manipulate the manners of unethical kids . I don't know if the situation that is shown in this movie responds to the reality but if it does then it goes without saying ''God bless America''. Because this lifestyle is starting to adopted in my country, Greece . Kids must not only assault the teacher but also offend him. Mr Barthes is very decisive and knows how to react in these situations. Adrion Brody acts like he was being a teacher for several years.As it mentioned before , we see the efforts of Mr Barthes trying to help and at the same time teach his classroom. So he helps a raped slut that is very young and takes him to his house in order to take her after. Mr Barthes is firstly an altruist and not a conservative teacher who doesn't care about his class. Furthermore he helps Meredith who is a victim of offensive language from their students because of her beauty.Suddenly we see the difficult job of a teacher. These two, Meredith and the whore are sticking in Mr Barthes life without worrying about the future but only for the present. ''What should I do later?'', ''Is Mr Barthes keep me in her house forever?'' , ''I believe that Mr Barthes loves me''. These are the thoughts of frustrated personalities that they don't have anyone in their life to encourage them . All they need is some moral support and someone just to listen them.Nowdays everyone is very stressed and they don't spend time with their children. For many they don't even care about their future . They are just ''mouths to need to be fed''. I see the prejudices and the doublethink'' To be nice I must be thin''.'' To attract girls I must be working out'' ( I don't know that girls thinking sorry ) . Is this what is called sense of life? Of course not. The sense of life is determined by the choices you do. If you do the right choices you will be happy , if not you will be sad. And that is expressing clearly on the dialogue of Dr Doris Parker with one student whose dream is to play in a band after graduating and doesn't even care about school .The resolution to this is that teachers and only teacher considering that the most parents don't really care must lead students ''seize the day''. The fact that they are school is itself remarkable considering that in another countries they don't have teachers . An uneducated person ,these days , is a thing that is being used from everyone . And the worst is that he cant really react to the mistreatment who is living because when he had the chance to learn things he reacted to his teachers when the teachers , the good teachers, are the only one that they care about the future of the new generations.

I'm glad I watched it despite the fact different people said it was too depressing. It's an excellent film about education, about the high school system and the educators' helplessness. Adrien Brody is Henry Barthes, a substitute teacher, who, for profound sadness rooted in his childhood, doesn't want to remain too long or too deep with anyone or anything. Marcia Gay Harden is the school bitter principal Carol Dearden who doesn't understand how much she cares until it's taken away from her. Each of the teachers, except one -James Caan as Mr. Charles Seaboldt, is solitary, suffering, on the verge of insanity.And then there are the pupils, rude, violent, with no boundaries. They too are sad, sad, sad, we realize, and if they are not sad, their life is hard or they have no future.Despite all this,Brody as Barthes has beautiful moments of compassion, and he forms bonds with one student and one minor working as a whore. He also has very ambivalent relationships with his hospitalized grandfather. All these bonds lead somewhere, not necessarily good or bad, but humane, and this makes the whole movie worthwhile.Comparing with The Class (2008) it has a much more solid narrative, and unlike The Class it does not try to appear as a documentary. I think that in The Class did not take a POV of a teacher and his limited perspective, so you got to see more of the pupils' lives. It stated specific social problems more than treated the general state of affairs. As a film, Detachment is more solid with better acting, pacing and story. As a social warning, perhaps The Class is stronger.