Written for Honeysuckle Mag
Matthias Schoenaerts gives a standout performance in the dark thriller Disorder. He plays a French Special Forces ex-soldier Vincent, an Afghanistan war veteran with severe PTSD that includes paranoia and hallucinations. Vincent is stuck in what writer-director Alice Winocour describes as “a state of war.”
After the mentally-compromised Vincent is sent home (against his wishes), a friend gets him a gig as bodyguard for Jessie (Diane Kruger), the trophy wife of an obscenely wealthy—and shady—Lebanese businessman, Imad Whalid (Percy Kemp), and their son (Zaid Errougui-Demonsant). We soon learn that Imad is an arms dealer. Money, politics and greed play an important role in the story. And, behind Jessie’s cold exterior, lies a woman in a golden prison of superficiality.
Schoenaerts portrayal of the emotionally and psychologically damaged Vincent is reminiscent of Ryan Gosling’s character in Drive, and just as compelling. The suspenseful plot depicts a psychotically paranoid Vincent seeing danger at every turn. But if you were scared of someone, you’d want this guy as security.
Aside from being a hunk of a man, with an irresistible animalistic magnetic pull, his intense eyes do most of his acting. They show a world of damage mixed with desire that’ll suck you right in, especially on the many close-ups of Schoenaerts’ exquisite face.
You may remember him in The Danish Girl where he played the childhood friend to Eddie Redmayne’s lead character, Einar Wegener, who is transitioning to Lili. In that film, Schoenaerts is tracked down by Einar’s wife Gerda (Alicia Vikander) to help Einar as he transitions to female.
Winocour does a fine job at the helm of Disorder, which is her second feature film. The dark and expertly timed soundtrack by Gesaffelstein is mesmerizing and helps to create the clenched-fist suspense throughout. Go see this!
Disorder opens in select theaters and On Demand Friday, August 12. Thriller, drama. 101 min.
Watch the trailer:
