Disconnect - Henry Alex Rubin (2012)

"Communication is the key to understanding, and technology can either bring us closer together or tear us further apart."

"Disconnect" is a modest film. The subject starts with communication and technology, soon becoming a true case study. There are three common storylines that intersect, each reaching its announced conclusion, bordering on the mundane. There is nothing spectacular here, although the story of the stripper initially promises a more winding path, and the storyline involving a suicide attempt has significant potential. We tend to believe that the advantages of virtual connectivity are being put on trial, even if the indictment is indirect.

Mike Dixon: Everything you do, someone out there can see.

The production is linear, the actors' performances satisfactory, and the director's interventions quite discreet, with only the solutions recommended in specialized books chosen. Surprisingly tame for an independent film with a minuscule budget. A complex and layered narrative reminiscent of Paul Haggis' "Crash" (2005), challenges the effectiveness of communication through screen interfaces, while also suggesting the possibility of reconciliation for a brighter future.

What sets this film apart from anonymity, however, is the absolutely perfect visual commentary. While the film does not allow for even minimal set dressing, instead taking them directly from everyday life, the shots are impeccably captured, and the exposure conditions are exemplary. All credit for this success goes to Ken Seng (cinematography), whose choices do not shy away from almost any filming technique that can be approached without significant expenses, and whose work would have perhaps remained difficult to interpret in the absence of the editorial presence of Lee Percy, who is also commendable and inspired in arranging everything coherently. As a film critic, one could argue that Disconnect opts for a more focused approach, delving into individual stories rather than aiming for a grand interweaving of fates and circumstances. While this approach may give the film a sense of confidence, it falls slightly short when compared to the multinarrative features of Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu (such as Amores Perros, 2000; 21 Grams, 2003; Babel, 2006) and Paul Haggis' Oscar-winning film "Crash".

You can learn a lot from this projection, as each frame is diligently worked on, from the choice of framing to the lens used on the camera. The succession of angles for a single scene follows a path in line with the character's evolution, and their number is always expanded to the maximum coverage. Filming in daylight, with changing additional lighting positions, is not an easy task. It's actually quite complicated, so the disproportionate devotion to the quality of each sequence is almost a true waste for a production like this.

No director today lets the images tell the story as they naturally would; everywhere, colors are adjusted, exposures are tweaked, unconventional capture techniques are suspended, or atypical ones are used, either for economic reasons, artistic imperatives, or simple subjective whims aimed at imposing a certain personalization. Therefore, an approach that remains traditional and consistent in this regard is rare on screens.

Even though it remains fundamentally dramatic, "Disconnect" maintains a sunny, fresh, and almost relatable spectacle for those who choose to watch it; it is comforting, rejuvenating, and serves as a reminder of a type of cinema that has been abandoned for some time without any specific reason.

Frame by frame, "Disconnect" is a film that brings the visual aspect of cinema back into the spotlight... ultimately, the most representative part with poignant and gripping moments, the stories in the film intersect in unexpected ways, revealing shocking truths about our reliance on technology to mediate and define our relationships and lives. The film takes harrowing and touching turns, exposing the realities of our daily use of technology in surprising twists.