Detachment review

Makes Half Nelson look like Animal House

Why you can trust GamesRadar+ 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.

More info

Available platformsMovie
Less
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 Magazine, Heat Magazine, Popcorn, and more.