«Detachment»: Alienation as the Only Substitute for Salvation
Tony Kaye’s 2011 film was released in Russian theaters under the title «Substitute Teacher, ” which inevitably misleads viewers. The original title—"Detachment» (or «Alienation»)—conveys the essence of this weighty statement far more accurately. This film is far from another Hollywood narrative about a charismatic educator «fighting» for the fate of difficult teenagers. It is the story of a person trying to survive amidst general decay, but who is also a part of it.
The main character, Henry Barthes, is an English teacher who only works substitute to avoid becoming attached to people or a place. His latest assignment is at a public school on the verge of closure. What happens within those walls can hardly be called an educational process. Aggression is the norm of interaction; students threaten their teachers, and the educators have long stopped pretending they can make a difference. Marsha Gay Harden plays a principal on the brink of burnout, Lucy Liu plays a school psychologist who snaps at the students because she can no longer contain her despair, and Tim Blake Nelson plays a teacher who is literally one step away from completely breaking down.
However, the film is not limited to social commentary. It is more about the internal struggle of a person who understands too well that you cannot help others without breaking yourself. Yet, the tragic irony is that everyone Henry tries to help—Meridith, the young Erica—ultimately suffers even more.
«Detachment» / «Substitute Teacher» is a portrait of alienation, shot by someone who believes that sometimes reality must be shown in its own
