Detachment

Year: 2012

Runtime: 97 min

Language: English

Director: Tony Kaye

Drama

A substitute teacher named Henry Barthes emotionally distances himself from others, struggling to form meaningful connections. While working at a school where teachers and students alike are experiencing burnout, he unexpectedly becomes a source of inspiration for his students. He develops an unusual connection with a teenage runaway, and together they navigate a world that often feels devoid of warmth and hope, seeking moments of beauty and understanding.

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Timeline & Setting – Detachment (2012)

Explore the full timeline and setting of Detachment (2012). Follow every major event in chronological order and see how the environment shapes the story, characters, and dramatic tension.

Last Updated: May 04, 2025 at 18:49

Main Characters – Detachment (2012)

Meet the key characters of Detachment (2012), with detailed profiles, motivations, and roles in the plot. Understand their emotional journeys and what they reveal about the film’s deeper themes.

Last Updated: May 04, 2025 at 18:49

Major Themes – Detachment (2012)

Explore the central themes of Detachment (2012), from psychological, social, and emotional dimensions to philosophical messages. Understand what the film is really saying beneath the surface.

Last Updated: May 04, 2025 at 18:49

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Discover curated groups of movies connected by mood, themes, and story style. Browse collections built around emotion, atmosphere, and narrative focus to easily find films that match what you feel like watching right now.

Bleak Institution Dramas Like Detachment

Gritty tales of individuals crumbling under the weight of a failing system.If you were moved by the raw portrayal of a crumbling school system in Detachment, explore more movies like it. These films feature protagonists battling burnout within failing institutions, offering a gritty, melancholic look at systemic decay and the heavy emotional weight carried by those on the front lines.

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Narrative Summary

These stories often follow a weary professional entering a dysfunctional system, witnessing its failures firsthand. The central conflict is internal and external, as the protagonist's attempts to make a difference are met with resistance, revealing their own vulnerabilities and the near-impossibility of meaningful change within a broken framework.

Why These Movies?

Movies are grouped here for their shared setting of a decaying institution, their melancholic and gritty tone, and their focus on the heavy emotional burden shouldered by their protagonists. They create a cohesive experience of psychological strain and social critique.

Movies About Wounded Souls Like in Detachment

Emotionally damaged individuals finding precarious solace in each other.Fans of the poignant, unconventional bond between Henry and Erica in Detachment will find similar movies here. These films explore bittersweet connections between emotionally scarred individuals, characterized by heavy themes, a steady pace, and a tone that balances profound sadness with glimmers of hope.

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Narrative Summary

The narrative follows two or more characters who are deeply wounded, often emotionally closed-off. Their connection develops cautiously, built on shared pain rather than conventional attraction. The journey is about tentative steps toward vulnerability, facing past traumas together, and finding a fragile, often temporary, sanctuary in each other's company.

Why These Movies?

These films share a specific character dynamic: the formation of a deep, non-traditional bond between traumatized individuals. They are united by a heavy emotional weight, a melancholic yet bittersweet tone, and a focus on the healing power of fragile human connection against a bleak backdrop.

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Detachment Summary

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Detachment Timeline

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Detachment Spoiler-Free Summary

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More About Detachment

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Discover movies like Detachment that share similar genres, themes, and storytelling elements. Whether you’re drawn to the atmosphere, character arcs, or plot structure, these curated recommendations will help you explore more films you’ll love.