Review of film: “DISCONNECT” [ + mentions of “MUD” & “THE KINGS OF SUMMER” & “THE WAY, WAY BACK” ]

2013, 04-08 [& 05-03] = 

Review of film:  “DISCONNECT”  [ +  mentions of “MUD” & “THE KINGS OF SUMMER” & “THE WAY, WAY BACK” ]

For some unknown reason, this spring has shown an unusual profusion of EXCELLENTLY- ACTED film work by young and / or comparatively “unfamiliar” actors (in the films mentioned above)-- people who I feel may well become some of the "UP-&-COMING" STARS of TOMORROW...

...  I’m going to do some “mini”-reviews / commentaries about some of them that especially impressed me:

          

…  First, let me deal with “DISCONNECT”, a 115-minute R-rated film directed by HENRY ALEX RUBIN (who worked as second-unit director on 1999’s “GIRL, INTERRUPTED”), which has been in general US release since April 12, 2013…

… The film company describes its movie this way (with “[ ]” interjections being mine):

“A hard-working lawyer, [JASON BATEMAN as “Rich Boyd”, pictured above,] attached to his cell phone, can't find the time to communicate with his family [which includes his wife “Lydia” played by HOPE DAVIS, his daughter “Abby” played by HALEY RAMM, & especially his sensitive music-creating son “Ben”, played by JONAH BOBO, pictured below]…

“ …  A couple [ALEXANDER Skarsgård as “Derek Hall” & his wife “Cindy” played by PAULA PATTON] is drawn into a dangerous situation when their [private life & financial] secrets are exposed online…

“ …  A widowed ex-cop [“Mike Dixon”, played by FRANK GRILLO] struggles to raise a mischievous son [“Jason”, pictured above, played by COLIN FORD from “PUSH” & “WE BOUGHT A ZOO”] who [along with his friend “Frye”, pictured below as played by Aviad Bernstein] cyber-bullies a classmate [by pretending to be someone else in order to deceive him, with UNEXPECTED consequences]…

“ …  [There's...] an ambitious [TV] journalist [“Nina Dunham”, pictured below, portrayed by Andrea Riseborough from 2008’s “HAPPY GO LUCKY”, 2010’s “MADE IN DAGENHAM”, &  2013’s “OBLIVION” ]...

"  ...  [She] sees a career-making story in a teen [guy “Kyle”, pictured above & below, played by MAX THIERIOT from 2008’s “JUMPER” & 2012’s “HOUSE AT THE END OF THE STREET”, & as Dylan Massett in the 2013 TV series “BATES MOTEL”, who she discovers as he] performs on an adult-only [“XXX-rated” type] site…

“ …  They are [all] strangers, neighbors and colleagues and their stories collide in this riveting dramatic thriller about ordinary people struggling to connect in today's wired world… ”

…  While the older actors do an EXCELLENT job in the “swirling” (& eventually “INTERTWINED”) stories, even more impressive & "unexpected" to me was the way the main younger actors do an EXCEPTIONAL job in creating believable characters: 

…  The shy & then “bewildered” work by JONAH (& his “changed” sister HALEY);  the seemingly initially-evil & then “altered” COLIN;  and the easy-going sociable gregariousness of charismatic MAX (seen below)...

…  I found the film a FASCINATING “study” of people in today’s “plugged in” & yet inherently-“DISCONNECTED” world.  I’d rate the film as at least 8.75 out of 10 stars for its fine, thought-provoking work by all involved…

…  Next, I’ll be covering the film “MUD”, which can be found at = 
http://voice-of-film.blogspot.com/2013/05/review-of-film-mud-mentions-of.html ...

...  Other "UP-&-COMING possible stars of tomorrow" Reviews can be seen as follows:

…  “THE KINGS OF SUMMER” is covered not only in my REVIEW of the film at = http://voice-of-film.blogspot.com/2013/05/review-of-film-kings-of-summer-q-with.html , but also in my REPORT on the Q&A by the 3 young male stars in it [which can be found at =  http://voice-of-film.blogspot.com/2013/06/report-on-film-kings-of-summer-q-with.html ]…

 

...  "THE WAY, WAY BACK" can be found at =  http://voice-of-film.blogspot.com/2013/07/review-of-film-way-way-back.html ...

[ For your information:  You can see the V-O-S reviews of the following other JASON BATEMAN films:  “THE PROMOTION” = http://voice-of-film.blogspot.com/2011/01/review-of-film-promotion-its-hard-out.html ...  “HANCOCK” = http://voice-of-film.blogspot.com/2011/02/review-of-film-hancock-superheroes-dont.html ...

[ … Also:  “EXTRACT” = http://voice-of-film.blogspot.com/2011/02/review-of-film-extract.html ...  “UP IN THE AIR” = http://voice-of-film.blogspot.com/2011/02/review-of-film-up-in-air.html ...  And 2011’s “PAUL” = http://voice-of-film.blogspot.com/2011/03/review-of-film-paul-about-alien.html ...

[ … Plus:  “HORRIBLE BOSSES” = http://voice-of-film.blogspot.com/2011/07/review-of-film-horrible-bosses.html ; and “THE CHANGE-UP” = http://voice-of-film.blogspot.com/2011/08/review-of-film-change-up.html ... ]

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