Henry Barthes (Adryen Brody) is a high-school substitute teacher emotionally detached from everyone but his grandfather. When he was a seven year-old boy, he saw his mother committing and he is a traumatized and sad man. Henry is assigned to work for one-month in a decadent public school and along this period, he meets the teenage prostitute Erica (Sami Gayle) on the streets and he brings her to his apartment to take care of her. In his class, he feels affection for the troubled student Meredith (Betty Kaye) and tries to help her. These adolescents change his emotions toward people.
"Detachment" is a depressive view of the sick and dysfunctional modern society though the routine of a substitute teacher that makes the difference in the universe of teenagers, parents and other teachers. There are memorable scenes, like the breakdown of the counselor Dr. Doris Parker (Lucy Liu); or Henry explaining to the students the importance of reading to create their own thoughts and beliefs; or Henry saying that parenthood should require curriculum. On the other side, the reaction of Ms. Sarah Madison when Henry is hugging Meredith is impressive and part of a morally corrupted society that only can see vicious in a sympathetic gesture. My vote is seven.
Title (Brazil): "O Substituto" ("The Substitute")
