Plot
A drama centered on a group of people searching for human connections in today's wired world.
Release Year: 2012
Rating: 6.7/10 (449 voted)
Director:Henry Alex Rubin
Storyline
A hard-working lawyer, attached to his cell phone, can't find the time to communicate with his family. A couple is drawn into a dangerous situation when their secrets are exposed online. A widowed ex-cop struggles to raise a mischievous son who cyber-bullies a classmate. An ambitious journalist sees a career-making story in a teen that performs on an adult-only site. They are strangers, neighbors and colleagues and their stories collide in this riveting dramatic thriller about ordinary people struggling to connect in today's wired world.
Filming Locations: Saw Mill River Motel, Elmsford, New York, USA
Technical Specs
Runtime:
User Review
A powerful "ripped from the headlines" experience that packs an emotional wallop
Rating: 10/10
The Internet has dramatically changed the world. That much we know. Our
lives are better for it, on balance. But it's the other side of that
scale, the harm caused by our web-connected lives, that is the weighty
focus of "Disconnect." The damage that can be done, intentionally or
not, has been well-documented. Writer Andrew Stern and director Henry
Alex Rubin have selected several examples of the Internet age's
unfortunate downside and crafted three compelling story lines, all
based on actual cases. This common narrative structure will inevitably
be called "Crash-like," but whether or not the stories connect isn't
really the point of "Disconnect." The movie raises a danger sign that,
if gone unheeded, will only result in more senseless tragedies --
countless lives ruined, innocent children lost -- and putting the
spotlight on several unsuspecting victims of our Internet society makes
for a powerful experience that packs an emotional wallop from opening
credits to finale.
This is one of those films for which, as a non-spoiler reviewer, it's
best for me to avoid the specifics of the script and who does what
here. You'll have to discover that for yourself. But, needless to say,
Disconnect is not the feel-good movie of the year. It's often sad and
scary, dark and depressing at times, and knowing it's based on true
stories makes it all the more devastating when we witness the
consequences of our seemingly-innocuous actions when entering a chat
room, looking for virtual companionship, playing a childish practical
joke, or putting our personal information online.
Every actor in the huge ensemble cast, from adults to teens, is superb.
Without giving away their exact roles, Jason Bateman does a dramatic
star turn here as a caring father in an unfathomable situation. One of
our most prolific and underrated actors, Bateman has appeared in 22
features since I began attending the Toronto Film Festival six years
ago, including my fest faves "Juno" (Toronto 2007), "Up in the Air"
(Toronto 2009), and "Paul" (SXSW 2011). As the commanding lead in one
of Disconnect's three story lines, charismatic 23-year-old Max Thieriot
dominates the screen in every scene he's in. Colin Ford (15 at the
time) turns in one of the most heartwrenching youth performances I've
seen in years as a typical mischievous youngster with a penchant for
playing pranks. Other standouts include Paula Patton, Frank Grillo,
Alexander Skarsgård, Jonah Bobo, Aviad Bernstein, Andrea Riseborough,
and Hope Davis. All demonstrate a clear passion for the material and
belief in Henry Alex Rubin's lofty vision. Your pulse should be checked
if you don't shed a tear (or two, or more) during the viewing of this
movie.
Production values are quite high for an independent film. Lighting
subtly matches the tonal changes of each storyline. A warm color
palette provides a soft amber glow around characters driven by
affection. A family whose life is orderly and organized is bathed in
white, with bright primary colors on flat surfaces with square
geometric shapes and sharp angles. The milieu turns dark and shadowy as
innocence turns to evil. Max Richter's haunting score similarly
complements each disparate narrative as their respective characters are
drawn deeper into the dilemmas they've created.
The cinematography is a character unto itself. Ken Seng's adept
camera-work is consistently magnificent in its use of techniques like
frame-within-a-frame, with shots peering through windows and doors as
though we're voyeurs, faces often half obscured by laptops. Objects
move in and out of frame, partially blocking our view, as though we're
spying on the subjects. Point of view shots of computer and phone
screens occupy much of the frame in many crucial scenes. The film is
filled with such bold choices. All serve to enhance and echo the themes
laid out by the broad premise of unintentional connections caused by
the disconnect between our fingers on the keyboard and the humans at
the other end.
Editor Lee Percy had the challenging task of making it all coherent.
Knowing where and when to cut, whether or not to weave the stories
together or keep them parallel, when to converge and diverge -- these
are all crucial decisions that are key to the success of the project.
"Disconnect" sits near the top of all the pictures I've seen this year
and is one of the few which prompted me to utter the word "masterpiece"
quietly as the credits rolled. As one tends to have intense feelings
about a film in its immediate afterglow, I often wait for the emotional
excitement to die down before writing my review and assessing its
impact. "Disconnect" haunted me throughout the rest of the festival and
has continued to do so. Will a movie like this alter the way we
interact with technology? Probably not. But one less life shattered
will make it worth it.
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