Detachment review

Makes Half Nelson look like Animal House

Why you can trust 12DOVE Our experts review games, movies and tech over countless hours, so you can choose the best for you. Find out more about our reviews policy.

A substitute teacher (Adrien Brody) shows up at an inner-city public school, finding a rundown hellhole with a hopeless staff incapable of motivating their apathetic pupils.

Depressing, and relentlessly dour, Detachment makes Half Nelson look like Animal House . Brody and his impressive co-stars (including James Caan, Christina Hendricks, Lucy Liu and Bryan Cranston) ensure a consistent level of watchability.

But while you can admire the rigour of director Tony Kaye’s ( American History X ) bleak vision, it’s impossible to take his didactic diatribe as seriously as it takes itself.

Freelance Writer

Neil Smith is a freelance film critic who has written for several publications, including Total Film. His bylines can be found at the BBC, Film 4 Independent, Uncut Magazine, SFX, Heat Magazine, Popcorn, and more.