Henry Barthes is a substitute teacher who takes short jobs so he never has to get attached. At a struggling high school he meets a bullied student, a teenage runaway and colleagues just as worn out as he is. Watch how the film uses interviews and chalk drawings to enter his head.
Detachment is a 2011 drama film directed by Tony Kaye. This breakdown covers 4 techniques (1 narrative, 1 cinematography, 1 psychology and 1 editing), each with the scene where you can see it. If you like how it is made, Dog Day Afternoon uses several of the same techniques.
Having a character look into the camera and speak to the audience, also called breaking the fourth wall. It makes you feel like their confidant and reminds you this is a film.
How this film uses it
Reviewers describe close-up, documentary-style interviews in which Henry speaks straight to the camera. It makes you feel like a confidant, and it shows how much he needs to tell someone.
Where to see it
Interview scenes: Henry looks into the camera and talks about his life as a substitute teacher.
Shooting with a handheld camera so the frame shakes and moves with the action. This documentary-style look, called cinema vérité, puts you uncomfortably close to the character.
How this film uses it
Kaye served as his own cinematographer, and the film has a documentary-like feel. The close frame keeps you uncomfortably near Henry.
Where to see it
School days: Henry begins a one-month post at a struggling high school, where he meets a bullied student, Meredith.
Using animation, for a whole film or for short sequences inside live action, to make emotions hit harder. Drawn images can show inner feelings that realistic footage can't reach.
How this film uses it
Chalk animation appears between scenes and links them. It makes the film feel more like Henry's private notebook.
Where to see it
Chalkboard drawings: Chalk animation pops up between scenes of Henry's school days.
Questions
Detachment: quick answers
What filmmaking techniques does Detachment use?
CineCode breaks down 4 techniques in Detachment (2011): Direct Address, Handheld Cinema Vérité, Trauma Trigger Imagery and Animation as Emotional Amplifier.
Who directed Detachment?
Tony Kaye directed Detachment, released in 2011. CineCode also covers American History X (1998).
What films are similar to Detachment?
Films that share techniques with Detachment include Dog Day Afternoon (1975), Detroit (2017), Black Swan (2010), Fight Club (1999).
