1. Detachment
In this independent drama directed by Tony Kaye of American History X fame, Adrien Brody plays a teacher called Henry Barthes. Although a talented educator who can nurture a student's real potential, Henry buries his skills and drifts through life as a substitute teacher (sound like anyone..?) Cranston has spoken frankly about his time on-set with Kaye, describing him as a "very complicated... Interesting fellow." He has also talked about how he believes the work was not true to the original screenplay, saying "I felt that Carl Lund, the writer of 'Detachment,' wrote a really beautiful, haunting script. And I didn't feel that it was honored." For this reason he claims not to have seen the movie himself and it's unlikely he'll work with this director again, which is a shame as he does the character such justice. Swimming through the haze of a school full of burn-outs and teachers who've lost their life ambitions somewhere on the way to the classroom, the subject matter and the general depressive tone of the film can weigh this film down. However, the message that Kaye tries to portray about life through disconnected shots and a nihilistic script are worth taking in. In a nutshell, Detachment attempts to personify everyone's search for clarity in a world with blurred edges. Cool.