In a world where emotional distance feels normal, the 2011 movie Detachment sheds light on it in many creative aspects. I find that this movie has some of the most psychological depth and representation of exhaustion I have ever seen, while still keeping you engaged.

The movie starts off with a quote, “And never have I felt so deeply and one at the same time so detached from myself and so present in the world,” - Albert Camus. 

This quote becomes the message for the rest of the story: that you can still be present in the world while feeling disconnected.

  In the beginning, personal reflections come from teachers working in the same school about their thoughts on education, their story on how they got into education, disconnection, and life. These reflections are used in the film as breaking the fourth wall to make things more realistic and personal to the audience.

The main character, Henry Barthes, who is a substitute teacher for a school located in Queens, shares that the teachers in the building believe they can make a difference until they wake up and realize they failed.

“Kids don't have any attention span. They're bored, so how are you supposed to reel them in with classic literature if they don't believe that you have something meaningful to share,” he says.

Henry’s character is a very closed off man who is observant and hyper aware. He helps the people around him but the pain and grief he feels, he pushes aside and keeps for himself. One of my favorite quotes from this movie is Henry’s strong metaphor to describe himself,

“I am money, I change hands like a dollar bill, has been rubbed by a lamp and then a genie appeared and cried loudly with volume but the tears were all for myself and that’s where it all went wrong.”

I find it relatable because It shows that he goes through life helping and being there for other people, yet he keeps his own pain and grief to himself; that's what is causing his problems. He’s constantly being passed along and given everyone's problems but he doesn't let anyone see his pain.

The cinematography in this movie is unique and eye catching to me as it includes many chalk board animations and camera testimonials from the characters which I feel capture its raw and realistic aesthetic. The way they filmed different angles is interesting as they used a gritty camera in scenes that show past memories of the main character. The movie also rotated from black and white and then to color.

I feel the acting in this movie is incredible, it’s as if you’re there with the characters. The way the actors portray the strong emotions in this film is very realistic. Adrian Brody, who plays the main character, shows immense talent in his acting, making it feel like you're inside the screen with him. 

Henry Barthes helps multiple people through the movie including his students, his grandpa living in an assisted living facility who's struggling with dementia, his coworkers, and a young girl who’s homeless and living on the streets. He notices the emotional distance and loneliness in nearly everyone around him: teachers who are burnt out by the system, elderly patients forgotten or neglected, family members who can’t fully connect, and students struggling to be heard.

One of Henry's students named Meredith brings some of the art and message in the movie to life. She’s a photographer and notices the struggles of the teachers in the school who are desperate to be heard by someone. Her art pieces are very raw and don't strive for perfection, just capturing flaw and reality.

There are multiple examples of art in this movie including the photography from Meredith, chalk drawing animations that follow the emotion of the scene, and writing from Henry's students which expresses stress in their everyday lives. I like that the art in this movie accentuates the movie's meaning and how the characters truly feel inside; it helps you picture it.

I personally feel the word sonder is a now overused word, however, this movie reflects it really well. We all go through things whether we are young or old and we all have our own story. There are multiple scenes in this movie that show the teachers' lives both at work and home and that their issues travel with them, even if they try to push them away.

This movie shows that we are often desensitized and condescending towards others, and the problems we carry travel with us whether we acknowledge them or not. 

Detachment is one of my favorite movies because it doesn't just focus on one group of people; it focuses on everyone. I feel that it draws me back to awareness in everyday life even if the truth is sad. It’s an incredible movie if you're looking for a psychological drama with highly expressive emotions.