“Disconnect” takes every fear-mongering story about technology from the evening news and reveals how much technology influences relationships and daily life. With three loosely connected storylines, the film explores all the different dangers of the Internet and will not leave the audience’s minds for days.
Jason Bateman stars as Rich Boyd, a lawyer and the father of an outcast son (Jonah Bobo) and a teenage daughter (Haley Ramm). Cellphone use and abuse are used as a metaphor for the family’s technology addiction. For example, the son becomes involved in a relationship via Facebook. At a time when the documentary “Catfish” warrants a television series on MTV, it comes as no surprise when the online girlfriend is not who she claimed to be.
In another storyline, a journalist (Andrea Riseborough) pursues a story on teens working in online pornography. What begins as a professional relationship changes when she develops feelings for the subject of her story (Max Thieriot).
The third subplot involves Alexander Skarsgård and Paula Patton as a damaged married couple who find comfort in online gambling and chat rooms, respectively, after the death of their child.
The film seamlessly jumps from storyline to storyline, maintaining a tense pace the whole time. Some scenes will keep viewers at the edge of their seats, and others will elicit gasps of shock. Not one moment is predictable.
Dipping into the common anxieties of identity theft and online relationships, “Disconnect” is chillingly relatable. Screenwriter Andrew Stern sets up a clever relationship between identity and exploitation, and the movie makes powerful statements about how relationships, both familial and romantic, are affected by technology.
The ensemble cast is remarkable as well. Bateman is surprisingly moving in a dramatic role, and Bobo is excellent as the bullied son. Skarsgård and Patton bring authenticity to their roles, and Frank Grillo’s ex-cop and single father is somehow both menacing and loving. In another notable performance from the film, Marc Jacobs plays a porn baron and commits to the frightening role, to say the least.
The three storylines are a bit dissatisfying here, as each one could make a captivating full-length feature. Still, the variety makes “Disconnect” effective in relaying its message.
Ultimately, “Disconnect” is genuinely emotional. Technology is the catalyst that sets the stories in motion, but the storytelling rests in the profound relationships. The connections between people resonate more than anything.
A version of this article appeared in the April 9 print edition. Valerie Nelson is a contributing writer. Email her at [email protected].
