Thought-provoking "Disconnect" explores the power of the internet
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| Jason Bateman |
The last twenty years have seen significant changes in how we connect with others, given the rise and power of the internet over our lives. The thought-provoking new drama "Disconnect" delves into our online worlds of connectivity and the choices it provides. Intense and somewhat meandering in the middle act, it carries a certain relevancy to it and is a case where its premise is better than the actual film. With a "Crash"-esque mode of interconnecting stories, there is a teenager (Jonah Bobo) suffering the effects of cyber bullying; his parents (Jason Bateman and Hope Davis) as they struggle with how it happened and who is responsible; a young couple (Alexander Skarsgard and Paula Patton) who are the devastating victims of cyber crime; and a young reporter (Andrea Riseborough) who becomes too involved with the subject of one her stories (Max Theirot), who is involved in some illegial online activity. Directed by "Murderball's" Henry Alex Rubin, the well-acted, emotionally satisfying "Disconnect" finds its power in the choices that our online activity push us to make, both good and bad, and how easily we're drawn into it; it's a serious, often intense portrait of the effects it has on our society. A sluggish middle act and a meandering tone keep the narrative from hitting a home run, but "Disconnect's" relevancy is in its stories, even if it takes too long to unfold. The online chat and activity is understandably its central focus, and you quickly realize the plot unfolds under these chats and texts. Riseborough and Theirot's story is the most poignant, while it's nice to see Bateman in a strong, serious turn as an attorney who is disconnected from his family. "Disconnect" is a flawed film, Rubin could've tightened up a few places, but it's also a thoughtful and thought-provoking drama about our online activity. Worth a look.
Wes's Grade: B-
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