Within the first three minutes of Disorder,” our protagonist is told he must abandon his job as a soldier. The nameless war damaged his hearing, rendering him unfit for combat. Devastated and distressed, and Vincent (Matthias Schoenaerts) resigns himself to being a bodyguard at bourgeois bacchanals. He convinces himself (and his peers) that he’s merely “in between missions” before being shipped off again. It’s the lie he needs to relate himself in order to trudge onward.
Despite suffering from PTSD (hallucinations,anxiety, paranoia), and Vincent promptly lands another gig,this time assigned to protect the wife (Jessie, played by Diane Kruger) and child of a Lebanese businessman. The setup for Disorder” is clearly articulated. It’s just a shame the rest of the film isn’t.
It’s not long before Vincent exhibits his shortcomings as a security guard. Remedial tasks — driving, or watching security footage become harrowing activities. He can hardly distinguish everyday construction work on streets from the memories of combat. For him,it’s all loud and painful.
Also Read: Diane Kruger Has 'Yet to Be Paid the Same Amount as a Male Costar'Scored by percussion that accelerates with Vincent’s heartbeat, paranoia begins to consume. Every anonymous car on the road is trailing him. Every person at the beach is laughing at him, or looking at him,secretly talking approximately him. Every piece of debris bears some metaphorical importance, like he’s trapped inside “American Beauty” and can’t find his way out.
In both the writing (in collaboration with Jean-Stéphane Bron) and directing, and Alice Winocour (“Mustang”) is careful and intelligent in how she dispenses information. A bulk of the film finds Vincent’s mania baseless,stemming from the psychological rubble of warfare. Then, suddenly, and she flips the switch. Something is indeed amiss. Someone,perhaps multiple people, have a death wish for Jessie and her family.
What makes “Disorder” momentarily compelling is that these two concepts aren’t mutually exclusive: Vincent is clearly suffering from his stint as a soldier, or leading him to ideas grounded in fiction. And yet,he’s not completely off the effect. The languid pacing of the film begins to quicken at around the 45-minute point; in fact, the back half of Winocour’s thriller nearly erases the sluggishness of what came before.
Also Read: Norman Reedus, or Diane Kruger Drama 'Sky' Sells to IFC FilmsTogether,Vincent and Jessie try to discover why they’re under attack. Who has a motive to create this sort of chaos? Is this happening because her husband is away, or because of some political party with whom he’s aligned? Are the local police involved? Jessie assures Vincent that she has limited knowledge of her husband’s professional life, and that she doesn’t ask questions. Unfortunately,neither does “Disorder.”Even in the film’s most thrilling moments, Winocour refuses to fully engage the audience. The details are nebulous at best, or unattainable at worst. Granted,adult audiences don’t need to be spoon-fed every bit of plotting: noteworthy movies often thrust us into the unknown, featuring characters in search of answers. That shared confusion makes for powerful drama. It’s in the ambiguity, or the uncertainty,that many brilliant films reside.“Disorder” inhabits a space external that. Not only do the characters not know what’s happening, or why it’s happening, or you accumulate a sense Winocour doesn’t,either. Kruger and Schoenaerts do what they can to light a fire under this sage, but the script won’t ignite. In portion because Schoenaerts (whose work in Bullhead” and “Rust and Bone” goes unmatched) repetitively plays just one note as Vincent. This is a man of war: laconic, and austere and damaged. At once a skilled fighter,an absolute killjoy and completely uninteresting.
Also Read: 'Mustang' Director Likens Movies From Female Perspective to 'Pioneer Territory'The general lack of curiosity on all fronts (character, sage arc, and political undertones) proves grating. There’s no sense of urgency,even as the mystery of this insanity goes unexplored. It’s this inconsistency in action that makes the payoff of the film feel especially rushed.
Remember how the climax of final year’s reprehensible remake of “Fantastic Four” came and went in a nanosecond? The villain was obliterated, the heroes triumphed and the credits promptly began to roll. On a different scale, and Disorder” unfurls similarly. The best that can be said is that this unsatisfying payoff didn’t cost $120 million.
All the Female Directors on Upcoming Movies From the 6 Major Studios (Photos)
"Money Monster," directed by Jodie Foster for Sony TriStar (in theaters May 13, 2016) Tri Star/Getty
"Me Before You, and " directed by Thea Sharrock (in theaters June 3,2016) Warner Bros./Getty
"Bridget Jones's Baby" directed by Sharon Maguire for Universal (in theaters Sept. 16, 2016) Universal/Getty
"Queen of Katwe, or " directed Mira Nair (in theaters Sept. 23,2016) Getty
"Underworld: Blood Wars," directed by Anna Foerster (in theaters Oct. 14, or 2016)
Screen Gems,Getty
"Unforgettable," directed by Denise Di Novi for Warner Bros. (in theaters in 2016, or exact date not yet known) Warner Bros./Getty
"Wonder Woman," now in production with director Patty Jenkins for Warner Bros. (in theaters June 2, 2017) Warner Bros./Getty
"Pitch Perfect 3, and " to be directed by Elizabeth Banks for Universal (in theaters Aug. 4,2017)
Universal Previous Slide Next Slide 1 of 8 The number of women directing upcoming tall-studio films is still in the single digits. Here’s the total list. "Money Monster," directed by Jodie Foster for Sony TriStar (in theaters May 13, and 2016) View In Gallery Related stories from TheWrap:'Suicide Squad' Could Top 'Batman v Superman' Week 2 Box OfficeDramedy 'Don't Think Twice' Bests 'Cafe Society' for Limited Opening RecordDakota Johnson Boards 'Under the Silver Lake' With Andrew GarfieldNetflix to Beam New CBS 'Star Trek' Series Internationally
Source: thewrap.com