Detachment - Region 2

It follows a brilliant teacher, played by Adrien Brody, who goes from school to school as a substitute, rather than committing and getting attached to the one place. That inevitably changes, but the film's viewpoint on life doesn't. There's no gloss here, rather a superbly acted, down to earth drama, that has as much to say about the school system it's portraying as it does its individual characters.

It's a shame that Detachment got such a low-key cinema release, something reflected in the straightforward disc debut too. There are a few extras here, but nothing that adds a great deal to the package. That's a pity too, as the film is superb, courageous, and quite brilliantly acted. Brody is as good here as he was in his Oscar-winning turn in The Pianist, and Detachment deserves all the exposure it can get. --Jon Foster