Disconnect (2013)

One interesting trend in recent cinema has been the slow disappearance of the type of ensemble drama I like to call the “parade of misery.” These films often take one unifying theme, and then use that theme to tell several different stories at once that ultimately prove to be strenuously connected. This formula was able to fool audiences for a while, but eventually it became so recognizable that most of the joy in watching them disappeared. Parades of misery were almost insufferably bleak, and it isn't exactly a blast to watch a movie that does little but tell you how everything is terrible and you should feel bad. This type of filmmaking hit its apex in the mid-2000s with Paul Haggis’ über-divisive Crash and the work of Alejandro Gonzálex Iñárritu, but since then it’s been nothing but a downward spiral. People rightfully got sick of it, because these movies were often better at feigning thematic depth than actually creating it.

Henry Alex Rubin’s Disconnect is a quiet attempt to get this kind of filmmaking back into theaters, not that you would know anything about it. The hubbub around this film’s release has been almost nonexistent. It’s getting decent distribution, but you’ll be hard pressed to see it advertised anywhere, and it hasn’t even been reviewed by that many outlets. Everything about it seems to suggest that this is a film the public isn't meant to see, and that’s rather strange. This is not a great movie by any means, mostly because it traffics in Iñárritu-esque misery far too often, but it boasts some solid direction by Rubin and a fantastic lead performance by Jason Bateman. Problematic though it may be, it’s disappointing that a solid film like Disconnect is getting almost no attention while other, weaker fare can draw all kinds of buzz. It’s a reminder that there are still gatekeepers who hold an absurd amount of power.

In by far the most effective of the film’s stories, outcast teenager Ben Boyd (Jonah Bobo) becomes a cyberbullying victim after a prank by two fellow students (Colin Ford and Aviad Bernstein) goes too far. Eventually Ben’s father (Jason Bateman) gets pulled in and starts looking for the source of the problem. In another thread, a grieving couple played by Alexander Skarsgård and Paula Patton have their identities stolen online and decide to take matters into their own hands. Last and least, a scrappy reporter (Andrea Riseborough) gets her big break when she does a feature on underage webcam model (Max Thieriot), but things just get more complicated from there.

One of the major problems with making this kind of ensemble film, among others, is that there will inevitably be one story that is the weak link. There's no way around it. As such, the film as a whole becomes damaged whenever we are forced to spend time in that plotline. In Disconnect, that is unfortunately the Riseborough/Thieriot story, and this is not the fault of the actors. In fact, they both play their roles terrifically. Unfortunately, the material they work with is predictable and at times unbelievable. It’s essentially a reverse on the old cliché of the hero who saves the hooker with a heart of gold, and I never came close to buying that this reporter would willingly throw everything away just to save this one kid. The other two stories were similarly bleak, but at least they seemed to be rooted in some kind of reality. With this one I never quite bought into it.

Even outside of this one story, predictability is an issue that nags Disconnect from the get-go. The film immediately carries itself with a bleak attitude that immediately alerts the audience that this is going to be one of these aforementioned “parade of misery” dramas. And really, it follows those beats to a tee. For much of the film, things just get really, really, really bad, and then there’s a brief moment of hope at the end if we’re lucky. Then it’s over. As a viewer, this changes the question from “what is going to happen in this movie?” to “how are they going to pull this off?” The results are mixed, but when the film gets away from the more heavy-handed thematic stuff and focuses more on actual human emotion, it gets some really nice moments across.

Most of these moments involve the aforementioned Bateman, who outwardly seems to be cast against type but in reality is a perfect match for the role. The character of Rich Boyd is basically all the sincere parts of Michael Bluth and none of the sarcasm or disgust with his family. Disconnect and Arrested Development could not be more different projects, but his characters in each certainly seem to come from the same place. It’s all about how he plays them. Bateman has certainly found a niche for himself as the straight man in many recent comedies like Identity Thief, but roles like this are a reminder that he’s a darn fine actor in any kind of movie. For that reason alone this film deserves far more attention than it’s getting. Or ever will get, in all likelihood.

There are a laundry list of problems with this movie, and I’ve discussed most of them above. In fact, if this film was getting more attention I wonder if I would have as high of an opinion of it. Make no mistake: barring a horrendous rest of the year Disconnect will not come close to cracking my Top 10 of 2013. There were some stretches when I was reminded of the worst moments in Crash, Babel, etc. But Rubin eventually shows an ability to get at the humanity of the stories and not just assume that everything below the surface will just take care of itself. This is a skillfully made movie with a fine cast and a handful of genuinely powerful moments. I don’t exactly want to live in a cinematic world where Iñárritu-ian filmmaking is back in style, but Disconnect makes a case that there may be a place for it when it’s done well. It may fall for many of the same traps as other films of its ilk, but the skill of the acting and directing is generally able to shine through the otherwise impenetrable clouds of melancholy.

Grade: B