Detachment (2011)
A substitute teacher navigates the bleak, gritty realities of a public school, seeking connection amid melancholy.
A chronicle of three weeks in the lives of several high school teachers, administrators and students through the eyes of substitute teacher, Henry Barthes. Henry roams from school to school, imparting modes of knowledge, but never staying long enough to form any semblance of sentient attachment.
How intense is Detachment?
Detachment has no gore and some violence. Emotionally it is devastating. The pace is measured, and it is a full-attention watch.
What Detachment feels like
- Tone
- bleakgrittymelancholyearnest
- Pace
- Measured
- Best for
- Full attention
Where to stream Detachment
US availability via TMDB, last checked Sep 15, 2026. The app filters picks to the services you actually have.
Is Detachment for you?
Is Detachment scary?
No. Detachment is not a scary watch (scare level 0 of 3).
Is Detachment gory or violent?
No gore (0 of 3) and some violence (1 of 3). Squeamish viewers are fine here.
Is Detachment sad or heavy?
Yes. Emotional weight 3 of 3. It hits hard; do not plan anything light after.
How long is Detachment?
Detachment runs 1h 38m.
Where can I stream Detachment?
Detachment is streaming on Kanopy, Hoopla, The Roku Channel and Fandango at Home (free).
Does Detachment have a happy ending? spoiler-safe answer
Bittersweet. It earns its ending, but not everyone gets what they want.
Cast and crew
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