Disconnect (I) (2012) User Reviews

Sad story of how technology alienates us rather than bringing us closer

[Kicino · 8/10 · 14 April 2013]

A brilliant story to tell how technology has alienated marriage, family and friendship instead of connecting people. It is even sadder when all the stories are based on true events. I watched it at the Hong Kong International Film Festival and for the first time after almost 10 films thought this is the first one which can be publicly released for a wider audience because of its social message, especially right after two cases of murders of local parents by their adult sons who loved to play computer games.

Disconnect mainly centers on three sub stories which are loosely linked. There was nothing wrong in each character's internal logic or perception of the world: a lonely teenager looking for friendship, a wife confiding to a stranger on the internet because her husband cannot talk with her on their loss of their son, a young journalist trying to get a scoop on runaway youth turned cyber sex provider.

As the story progress, however, we see how these longing deviate and troubles follow. Some people were so longing for connection with other human beings but cannot be satisfied at home that they naively trust this virtual relationship on the internet or mobile phone – while on the other end of the line, their "friends" might well be abuser or bullies, taking advantage of these lonely hearts, intentionally or not.

Since the director used to shoot documentaries, the film is filled with an authentic flavor, developing with an urgent tempo. The cast are excellent in portraying they care for their families with wrong method so it looks like they are communicating on the wrong channels thus counterproductive. Jason Bateman is superb in portraying a concerned father who tried to save his son after realizing how much he has neglected him. The large portion of computer chat is displayed by text overlaying on head shots of the authors. And here is what we see how good the acting is, especially young Colin Ford who showed a strong sense of guilt on an innocent face, but also deep concern for his friend.

The characters are not lovable but you cannot help but feel sorry for them and keep asking what went wrong. It also makes us reflect what we need to do, as parents, as classmate, as a regular net shopper to be really connected with people we care amid this overflow of information technology. Just turn off your computer, drop your mobile, and go see it.

Disconnect.

[mareva-742-370416 · 9/10 · 11 September 2013]

Why hasn't this movie been raved about? One of the best I have seen in a long time. Don't even think it got a cinema release in Australia. This is the sort of movie that should have Oscar nominations and a must see. An ensemble cast and all are outstanding. Jason Bateman is such an under rated actor but can just about do anything, probably hurt by Arrested Development although I must admit I did like that show. If you liked movies like Crash you should enjoy this. 3 stories going on at the same time which also have some intermingling, if there is such a word. IMDb rating is a bit low and I would rate it in the high 8's even getting close to a 9. Have banged on a bit as I didn't realize you needed to submit 10 lines of text to post a review/comment.

Excellent telling of 3 stories relating to interactions on the web.

[c_waid · 9/10 · 12 May 2013]

I'm going to keep this a simple review, there's plenty of longer ones if you want that. I went to this movie with zero expectations. I wanted to see a movie today and this just happened to be 1 of the 4 playing at my small theater. The movie was very well done. All 3 stories were intriguing and believable. Many sad stories such as these are often over-dramatized and make me hate them. However, I found this one to hit the drama level perfectly. They make you feel for the characters and believe their actions (to which I'll say all of the actors did an AMAZING job, particularly the kids).

I almost wish I could see a feature-length movie of 2 of the 3 stories in this. Those being the bullied kid and the other of cyber sex ring. Those 2 were definitely hit their mark. I thought the 3rd, with the couple who lost their money to identity theft, was good as well...but perhaps not to the same level as the others. To be fair though, the other 2 might just have been more intriguing of a topic for me.

Just a quick comment on the Rating: Personally, I think this movie should have been rated PG-13. There was only light violence (not gloritized, either) and very brief, tasteful nudity. All while 2 of the stories were relating to very real scenarios related to kids. Meh, maybe I'm just being silly thinking kids can handle movies about topics they clearly live through.

One of the most compelling films I've seen in a long time

[sls3 · 10/10 · 11 April 2013]

I see a lot of movies, and the great majority of them make little impression on me. They are fun and entertaining, but quickly forgettable. Not DISCONNECT, though. This is a powerful and provocative film that not only keeps you pinned to your seat but also makes you think about the consequences of your actions. It should certainly be required viewing not only for young people but also for anyone who uses social media or communicates via the Internet. This is a timely, well-written, well-acted, and well-paced movie that stays with you long after you leave the movie theater. I was also pleased by the fact that the director and writer did not take the easy way out. No glib, predictable solutions here, which is one reason why the film's events linger in your mind.

Powerful, Must See Film

[kburditt · 10/10 · 26 March 2013]

Had the opportunity to see this amazing film at a sneak preview last night at the AFI/Silver Theater in Silver Spring MD. This is a powerful film that exceeded my expectations. Reading the marketing blurb I was worried it would be just another hi-tech thriller making use of all the latest cool technology. Being a tech Luddite I was about to pass,but the comparison to Crash pulled me in, and I am glad I went. This is a compelling ensemble film of how three different set of characters are impacted by the technology that has become so integral to our lives. We follow the stories of these people as they cope with the a new reality brought on by their reliance on electronic devices. This is a lame description but I can't go much further into it without spoiling this gripping agonizing film for you. Let just say it will make you recall and relive every stupid thing you did as a teenager, every stupid decision you make now, and how those decisions are amplified by our reliance on electronic devices. None of the stories are new in the human experience, but the speed in which events occur and the seriousness of the consequences are greater because of the wired alienation of society. The screen play, acting, cinematography, editing, lighting all work together to increase the tension of this film. Jason Bateman, in particular, stands out in this dramatic roll. He has proved he can sit in the top ranks of male dramatic actors and I hope to see him expand his resume in drama. All of the actors go deep into their characters, many with a realism that could be sitting next to you in the theater, Particularly effective is the use of text on screen to show on-line chat conversations. As the previous reviewer describes, there is a voyeuristic perspective to the shots. A viewer at the preview referenced Rear Window in comparison, and that is true. This film is a Rear Window for the new millennium, where we peer into our neighbor's lives with cell phones and lap tops. Is this film a thriller? It is thrilling in a way that has you alternating between the edge of your seat and sinking deep into your seat. This film will leave you thinking for hours and days afterward. It may also have you looking at your cell phone and laptop with a new distrust. I can't tell you my favorite scene, other than it was a completely human, non-tech reaction by a character in grief. I will have to wait for more friends to see this film, and then we will sit down face to face and talk about that scene. Go see this film, tell your friends to go see this film. And then have a good talk about this amazing film.

It skillfully and dramatically depicts how our culture is now well-woven into the INTERNET fabric, but the final wrap-up scenes were oddly unbelievable

[carlton-bright · 20 April 2013]

The movie "DISCONNECT", clearly and dramatically depicts how our culture is now well-woven into the INTERNET fabric of reality. It is an intelligent and skillfully done film. The script is competent and well sculpted, with three simultaneous stories,but the final wrap-up scenes were (story-wise)oddly unbelievable, canned, pre-made, or "off the shelf" for lack of a better term.

There is a large percentage of the population(i.e.my wife and I) that are not fully in tune (or dependent) on the current, internet-laced way of life, but I felt this movie effectively plugged us into understanding and relating to it.

Although the film resides in the Arts & Entertainment category, it also can be perceived as a valuable, cinematographic core-sample of the current culture and society,in ways that "Easy Rider", "The Best days of our lives", and others movies have done in the past.

It shows the"now"of our culture and society in humanistic, suspenseful, and moving ways.

I highly recommend seeing the film if you have the time.

Making Connections

[evanston_dad · 7/10 · 24 November 2013]

And the award for the 2013 film most reminiscent of the Oscar-winning Best Picture "Crash" goes to "Disconnect."

Though, in defense of "Disconnect," it's a much better film than Paul Haggis's hot mess. It's directed by Henry Alex-Rubin, whose only other screen credit that I'm personally familiar with is the excellent 2005 documentary "Murderball." It examines the toll social media takes on personal relationships, and like "Crash," it examines the paradox of a world in which communication with other humans is easier than ever before, yet in which everyone feels lonelier than ever. It brings together a number of stories and makes connections between them, and like any screenplay that relies heavily on this narrative approach, some of the connections are more graceful than others. The film culminates in a montage of violence, in which the characters in the various stories finally and literally connect with each other in the only way they know how -- through violence. Parts of this climax, particularly a story featuring Alexander Skarsgaard and Paula Patton as a married couple who fall victim to identity theft, felt over done, but Alex-Rubin mostly keeps a firm and sensible hand on his material and doesn't let his film become preachy the way "Crash" did.

One of the things I liked most about "Disconnect" was the way it captured just how reliant we as a race have fallen to all electronic devices. Some type of gadget makes an appearance in literally every scene of the movie -- characters sit around checking their phones, listening to their music, tapping away at their laptops -- and yet it didn't feel forced by the screenplay in order to make a point. It felt like the way the world actually looks now.

Grade: A-

A powerful "ripped from the headlines" experience that packs an emotional wallop

[larry-411 · 10/10 · 2 October 2012]

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.

This film is about facts around us; it delivers message to demand our awareness, our judgment.

[shahriyar-ovi · 7/10 · 29 September 2013]

Three different stories of people where all appear as the poor victims of both real and virtual life and come across inter-connected somehow. Director Alex Rubin brilliantly orients family life to cyber life to show how people, being disconnected from family and society, fall to knit connection in web and get again deceived. Such intense script raises the time-being questions whether Internet connects us or not; whether our disconnected modern life gives Internet chance to exploit us or not. Acting of entire cast successfully claims realistic approach to lift the dramatization. This film is about facts around us; it delivers message to demand our awareness, our judgment. Very much though-provoking indeed___

Must-See Cautionary Tale for All Netizens

[3xHCCH · 8/10 · 25 June 2013]

I have not seen a movie like "Disconnect" in a long while. It has this style of telling about the lives of various different seemingly unconnected characters working up to one common story that intertwines all of them together. A decade ago, this style was very popular. This was first brought to prominence by the acclaimed Mexican movie "Amores Perros", and then we saw it in "Traffic", "21 Grams", culminating in the Oscar Best Picture Award given to "Crash." "Disconnect" brings us back to those days when complex intersecting story lines ruled the cinemas.

"Disconnect" leads us into the lives of four characters and their families. What all of them have in common is that they all have been a victim of some sort of Internet crime and abuse. The start of the film was very discomforting to watch. We witness how various internet chat sites can be so dangerous. This is true whatever the nature of this chat site is, whether this is a private pornographic live chat room or a support group chat room for bereaved families. We will see sexual exploitation, bullying, fraud, identity theft, and various other internet crimes in action. We will also see the adverse effects these crimes have on the victims and their loved ones.

The actors were all very good in their roles. I recognize a few of them. Jason Bateman (from "Horrible Bosses") is the busy lawyer whose introverted son was bullied at school. Paula Patton (from "Mission Impossible Ghost Protocol") is a lonely neglected wife who confides her problems on a chat room with someone who could have just stolen all their money. Andrea Riseborough (from "Oblivion") is a television journalist determined to go up in her profession even if it would cause problems to the young man who granted her the interview which would land her on CNN. The other young actors playing the bully, the bullied, and the sex site boy toy all gave memorable performances as well.

The pace of the movie is slow, and I think this was deliberate to make us feel how insidious these crimes can be. They can be happening to us without us ever knowing about it, until the consequences hit us squarely on the face. The director makes us of very dramatic camera angles and apt visual effects to emphasize his points. The editing done was very effective to create an intense feeling of dread and tension. Despite the PG rating given this film locally, the topic of the film is very adult, as well as the treatment, with scenes of nudity, sex, drugs and violence.

This is a very serious and very thought-provoking film for this Internet Age we are in right now. In our obsession to remain connected to our virtual world on our favorite social media sites, are we actually being disconnected from our very own families, and other flesh and blood people around us? A must-see for all netizens. Highly recommended. 8/10

A thoughtful, somewhat overly contrived, multi-layered drama...quite good!

[secondtake · 7/10 · 30 November 2014]

Disconnect (2012)

A multi-story, interwoven world structured like a simpler (and less emotional) "Crash." At the center this one has the internet, and the apparent "disconnect" that people have from each other by using their computers. As the stories build, and the characters grow in depth (and in connectedness), the movie intensifies. The finale, a three-part parallel edit in slow motion, is moving even as it is a bit obvious in its manipulations.

So it's good, yes. Recommended, with the usual reservations that it's no masterpiece. I've met people who really disliked "Crash" and the similarities in storytelling are so strong here I'd say that's a good marking point. I liked "Crash" a lot so was naturally drawn to the many stories, the real life scenarios, and the increasing interrelationships. Even as it pushed a button that was too obvious, or turned an eye from a good opportunity for drama, it still clicked.

The weakest point is probably the main one—that we are less human and less interested in those around us because of the way we communicate with computers (and tablets and phones). The exact opposite happens here. The devices (with the internet) increase ways of talking, and increase the number of people we talk with.

Because of these devices, in fact, we reach that slow motion climax. And we see that the film could have been called "Connect" and made us think more, or differently, about the layers. Good enough stuff to see, and to think about.

Real and virtual existences entangled

[wolfgang-a-koch-857 · 9/10 · 14 April 2013]

This movie has three parallel stories, with one important thing in common: real lives unravel as their presence on the media, especially the social media, spirals out of control. Moreover, as it turns out, each story ends up intersecting with one or both of the others.

There is Ben, a lonely teen who is hideously deceived and then callously exposed on the Web by two mean-spirited schoolmates. This drives Ben to make a grave decision that will leave his future hanging by a thread and his parents and sister reeling.

Then there are Cindy and Derek, who are trying to grapple with the death of their baby. As if that weren't enough of an issue in their life, they discover their credit cards have been maxed out. The private eye they hire, Mike, backtracks Cindy's and Derek's every online move, with unexpected revelations. Moreover, the result of Mike's investigation turns out to compound the problem rather than solve it.

Finally, there is Nina, an up-and-coming TV news reporter who gets her hands on the life story of Kyle, an older teen engaging in a salacious line of work performed online in front of a camera. Nina's TV piece is at first widely applauded, but its broadcast unleashes an avalanche of trouble for both Nina and Kyle, as well as for other people in their career lives.

A ready interpretation of the title "Disconnect" is to associate it with the dangers of "disconnecting" with real people in the real world. And indeed: people in this movie do communicate a lot via text messaging, and in chat rooms. In these spheres, things are sometimes not what they seem—and neither are people: two characters make up another, and communicate with someone else pretending to be that person, with potentially lethal consequences.

But the title "Disconnect" can also be taken as an imperative: "Disconnect!" Log off already! Otherwise, you will forget real existences cannot be edited, backed up, deleted, and restored like virtual ones. Actually, real life in this movie interferes with virtual plots in a way that even the latter take unintended twists and turns.

It turns out Mike not only changes Cindy and Derek's life (they set out to make a dramatic move as a result of Mike's investigations), he also is forcibly involved in the story around Ben. Ben's dad, in turn, is a legal counsel at the TV station where Nina works; that way, he is drawn on two fronts into the fallout from risky behavior of teens on the Internet.

While this is Nina's immediate connection to another story in this movie, the mere fact that she is a TV personality probably superimposes her story on the others: just as everybody is online these days, everybody still consumes sensational TV news. (Need it even be said: when you turn on your TV, you also "disconnect" from real life.)

The three stories progress at a similar pace and climax at the same time. After all the scheming, searching, plotting, and just plain misunderstanding emanating from cell phones and computer keyboards, the scenes suddenly stop in freeze-frame. Real-world existences clash in an ultimate, inevitable collision. The disconnect comes home to roost.

Online life as real as it can get.

[DimitrisTzouris · 7/10 · 3 August 2013]

Disconnect made me think of all the things I do online. From shopping and chatting with friends to simply sharing parts of what used to be my private life. How things could just go wrong and thus how important is to build and sustain a healthy system of trust among people, both in online and offline life. I work at a school and I hear about cyber-bullying a lot. This movie demonstrates how important it is for us educators to do more in helping students become better digital citizens. It's not the first or the last movie about this topic, but it is quite well made and I can definitely recommend it. Max Richter's music is also a plus.

Redundant, repetitive, re, re, re,.......

[bobbobwhite · 5/10 · 28 May 2013]

5 stars for at least trying to show the disconnect that technology is causing in our society today. That is so true and I appreciated the effort even as I did not appreciate how it was executed, overall. Some of the acting was good, some of it pretty bad, which is just as the movie-making was. A good scene taken too long eventually became boring and lost its effect, and a bad scene taken too long was agonizing, as in the group hug at the end. Ugh. Many scenes went on so long they became beyond tedious, and toward aggravating to me. The film also pounded at every heart string and most scenes led to melodrama before they ended. That effect appeared amateurish but was no doubt purposeful, as maudlin sells a lot of tickets to those viewers wanting to bathe in pathos. A crisper and tighter story on the same serious subjects would have been so superior, as with the films Crash, Traffic and 21 Grams, but the writer and director here seemed to want to pound it into our soft American hearts(brains too?)to the point where we would finally say, "Oh, now I get it, we are becoming disconnected!".

I got it early on, and a lot of it I wish I didn't.

Shows What Strong Acting, Writing and Directing Can Do

[Michael_Elliott · 14 May 2013]

Disconnect (2012)

**** (out of 4)

Excellent character study looking at a group of people who have their lives damaged due to activities that they do through the internet. One story deals with a married couple (Paula Patton, Alexander Skarsgard) who are mourning the loss of their child when they discover that their identity has been stolen. A lawyer (Jason Bateman) tries to understand what happened to his son that made him do something drastic. A television reporter (Andrea Riseborough) uses an internet sex actor (Max Thieriot) for her own needs. A former cop (Frank Grillo) discovers that his son might have done something morally wrong. DISCONNECT eventually brings all of these stories together. There's no question that none of these stories are masterpieces and I think it's fair to say that many of them play out exactly like you'd expect them to. Normally this here would kill a movie but director Henry Alex Rubin and screenwriter Andrew Stern do a terrific job at giving us characters we care about, want to know more about and this helps carry the entire picture. I think this film offers up a very good concept of how people have lost touch with reality and sometimes enter dangerous situations online simply because they have nothing better to do or they're looking for some sort of connection that they can't find in their own lives. The film really does a good job at explaining all of these characters and really developing all of them so that you really do feel as if you know these people and understand everything they're doing and why. It certainly doesn't hurt that we're given so many excellent performances. Both Bateman and Grillo really stand out as parents who fear that they have let their children down. Thieriot, making waves on 'Bates Motel,' also is very good in his part. The entire cast really does shine and this here says a lot about their talent but also the screenplay, which gives them so much to do. Again, I think many people will see the ending coming but it really doesn't matter because of the emotional connection that you get with the characters. DISCONNECT is certainly a gem of a picture that shows what a great script, direction and acting can do.

Far away

[kosmasp · 9/10 · 9 September 2014]

I guess people could be comparing this to "Crash" (Haggis), but there were movies like this before Paul Haggis made his masterpiece. I guess comparing a movie to that is meant as a compliment. Then this is well deserved. The phenomenal cast that gets assembled here plays their character perfectly.

The stories are loosely (or sometimes not as loosely) connected to each other. As are the people themselves. As are you right now. Over the internet, reading this, doing something else afterwards. But how connected are we really? It's not about condemning technology, it's about trying not to lose values ... and respect for each other. A complex movie, that is more than worth watching it, if you like drama movies that is.

Riveting & Powerful Drama

[larrys3 · 9/10 · 18 September 2013]

I found this film, directed by Henry-Alex Rubin and written by Andrew Stern, to be a most riveting and powerful drama.

With a formidable all-star cast, it tells the tale of three stories which are all linked to social media and internet sites. The movie issues clear warnings of the inherent dangers that can be present for users, and the possible tragic consequences that can occur.

To pick out a couple from the myriad of strong performances here, I thought Andrea Riseborough was superb, as Nina Dunham, an ambitious TV reporter who gets more than she bargained for when she tries to run an investigative feature on online sex sites. Also, Max Thieriot is excellent, as Kyle, who will do whatever his Internet customers want him to do sexually, and is the subject of Nina's expose. Also, Frank Grillo, Jason Bateman, Paula Patton, Alexander Skarsgard, Colin Ford, and Michael Nyqvist add well to the mix.

I've seen some reviews who compare this film in a way to "Crash". I would agree, with the connected stories and atmospherics being similar, in my opinion. As each story came to its' conclusion I found myself at the edge of my seat as the dramatic tension played out.

Interwoven story lines show how men react very differently to personal loss than women.

[The_Melancholic_Alcoholic · 7/10 · 1 July 2018]

Disconnect offers us three story lines about the negative sides of the internet. This is a well scripted drama, about a journalist reporting on online sexcam sites. about a high school boy getting shamed on social media, and a couple getting their identity stolen. Interwoven story lines are nothing new, ("Pulp fiction", "Y tu mama tambien" come to mind) but they really come well together here. What's really interesting is how the MALE characters react to grief and personal loss, as opposed to how the FEMALE character react. The father of the suicide-attempt son, reacts by going on a search for his sons Internet bullies. But his daughter tells him "you just do that just to make you feel yourself less guilty" and his wife reacts by going into caring mode. The father of the Internet bully, when confronted by the other boys father, doesn't apologize for his sons behaviour, but starts a fight. The husband who lost a baby, wants to go Rambo on his suspected identity robber, while his wife clearly enjoys the fact that they are doing something together for the first time in a long time. So, perhaps the real disconnect is the one between men and women.

Briiliant movie one of the best I saw in the last years!

[dean1993-791-917968 · 10/10 · 14 September 2013]

This movie explains how today devices affect our daily basis, and how it influence on our life in terrific way! This is a powerful and provocative film that not only keeps you pinned to your seat but also makes you think about the consequences of your actions. It should certainly be required viewing not only for young people but also for anyone who uses social media or communicates via the Internet. This is a timely, well-written, well-acted, and well-paced movie that stays with you long after you leave the movie theater. I was also pleased by the fact that the director and writer did not take the easy way out. No glib, predictable solutions here, which is one reason why the film's events linger in your mind. MUST WATCH.

A nice movie with a different view

[RPDimitrov · 7/10 · 14 September 2013]

This movie isn't a masterpiece, but it is definitely worth watching. I would imagine that people who have come across the same problems as the characters in the story would find it even more intriguing. I can say that the story is quite believable and well positioned. There isn't too much mixture between the different story lines, which is a good change from other multistory movies. I would say that the acting is on a high level, but without overshadowing the script. Which is I think the best characteristic of this movie. In spite of the title, it doesn't present the internet influence in our lives only with negativity, but tries to show it with a realistic approach. I specifically enjoyed how the story with the web-chat went - at the end the bad guys turned out to be not that awful. What I am trying to say is that the movie manages to keep a balanced view, without branding anything particularly bad or good, but just presenting the online world we live in and how human interaction depends on it.

Make no Demands and Trust the Movie

[view_and_review · 8/10 · 19 January 2022]

There are many movies that show separate seemingly disconnected storylines and how they tie together. Some of them are bad, some of them are good. The tying together is usually not the important part, nor is it the part that makes or breaks the production; it's the content.

"Disconnect" is a story about three separate storylines that tie together.

Storyline #1: Derek and Cindy Hull (Alexander Skarsgard and Paula Patton) are a couple reeling from the loss of their baby boy. Cindy tries to deal with it through an online support group where she meets another griever named Stephen Schumacher (Michael Nyqvist). After the couple's banking account and credit cards were cleaned out, they were led to believe Schumacher may have been behind the theft.

Storyline #2: Nina Dunham (Andrea Riseborough), an ambitious reporter, contacted an online adult performer named Kyle (Max Thieriot) in order to do an expose' about minors being used to provide online pornographic content. She initially contacted him as though she were a curious woman looking for such content before revealing that she was a reporter. After gaining his trust she got him to do an interview that helped her career, but did very little for him.

Storyline #3: Ben Boyd (Jonah Bobo) was a recluse and a social outcast at school. Two other kids decided to bully him by catfishing him. They took the prank too far when they emotionally manipulated him into sending nude pictures of himself. He reacted by hanging himself which left his family in shambles and his father (Jason Bateman) looking for answers.

The connection between the three is tenuous which is not much of a concern because each story is riveting in its own right. The performances were laudable, and I think this is the way for Jason Bateman. I avoid his comedies because he plays the same role in all of them: the weak, emasculated, straight man (straight as in the deadpan role). Bateman kills it in this drama where I think his style is of much better use.

I'm saying jump on board. This movie draws you in from three different yarns. I was truly hooked on all three storylines and I had no demands upon any of them of where they should take me. Comedy or tragedy, I didn't care because I trusted the movie that much to do the right thing.

Original subject

[christophe92300 · 6/10 · 1 November 2013]

Disconnect establishes a picture of the Internet, its flaws and what sort of tragedies it can lead to.

The movie doesn't leave unmoved but its script lacks depth and most importantly it is too predictable: you know the starting point, the finishing point, and the path to get there. Moreover, the different, sometimes intertwined, story lines are rather heterogeneous in terms of quality: the part revolving around Kyle is pretty boring for example. One could also regret the fact that, as the minutes go, the writing becomes less precise and the scenario looses some of its appeal, not to mention the editing could have been more restrictive.

Nevertheless, the movie deserves credit for dealing with a rather original subject in a sincere way and very polished fashion on every level. Special mention to the cast who did an excellent job.

Man...

[brett-76260 · 9/10 · 30 August 2021]

Perfectly woven script that covers all kinds of angles. Man all I can say this was a fantastic movie. It covers some very deep topics so watch it when you won't be interrupted and have a few hours of time. Powerful in many many ways. Still trying to let what I just watched sink all the way in. You need to give it 30-40 minutes before you really get the big picture of what's going on. So well written, so well directed and so well acted. So worth your time...

A movie that needs to be seen by parents and high school students. Shows how an innocent prank can ruin lives. I say B+

[cosmo_tiger · 7/10 · 1 August 2013]

"Everything you do someone out there can see." Everyone has part of their life on-line. From a young boy on a sex-cam site to a reporter trying to help him. From a struggling married couple who has their life taken or a family who has the unthinkable happen to them. Even the littlest most innocent action or a prank that goes too far can explode into something that can ruin lives. There are very few movies that come out that I think are must sees for different reasons then it just being good and fun to watch. The last movie I can think of like that would be Trust, the movie about a young girl meeting someone online who she thinks is a boy her age. This one has that type of feel. The movie will show you the power that the internet can have and how that is not always a good thing. This is a movie that has three separate story lines going on at once and all of them hold your attention and the movie grabs you and holds you until the end. This is a must see especially for parents to show their high school kids to show what a seemingly innocent prank can turn into. Overall, an important movie that needs to be seen by a bigger audience then it will get. I give it a B+.

Hollow and Shallow

[235SCOPE · 4/10 · 15 April 2013]

I'm not going to spend a lot of time writing about this turkey, except to save you your hard earned bucks and a couple of interminable hours.

This movie is nowhere near CRASH, which everyone seems to be comparing it to and which, despite its awards, was not the greatest movie in the world either. But anyway, don't be fooled by other users' comments describing this as an accomplished movie. The characters are complete stereotypes and not good ones at that. For example,young people in their 20's are shocked when informed that a stranger could steal their personal info by sending them a virus online? Really? Maybe in 1999 but, today? A TV producer and her colleagues celebrate with wine in the control room when her "piece" airs on TV. I mean, where in the world do TV news people pop a bottle when a supposedly good piece airs? So ridiculous. And the most absurd plot line of all: a 15 year old is tricked into posing nude on the Internet (or whatever) by a non-existent classmate! Not in this world, folks. But the list goes on and on.

DISCONNECT wastes a bunch of good actors and tries to pass for serious filmmaking by using a shaky camera an a lot of cross-cutting but that's all it is: a shaky camera and a lot of cross cutting.

4 stars out of 10, don't waste your time.