It’s weird seeing a follow-up from a director who has made such a classic film yet nothing since. It’s even more weird that the film, American History X, isn’t something he’s proud of and tried to change his name to Humpty Dumpty on it. Odd, still, that Detachment, the new film from Tony Kaye, went pretty much unnoticed after festivals and went, instead, released to On Demand services and disappointing considering the talent within the film alone and the fact that it is, quite frankly, pretty brilliant. A film so packed with acting talent, melodramatic story, great music and hit-and-miss direction means that you have something of a separation with the audiences.

Adrien Brody’s Henry is a substitute teacher who travels from school to school filling the blank wherever needed for a month or so. When he goes to a pretty deplorable school that has...