Matthias Schoenaerts is one of those actors that pop up in all sorts of films. He is always very effective but is rarely cast as the lead. He has been cast in a variety of different roles and always brings charm and poise to the proceedings. It is only in non English language films that he has had the chance to play the lead, notably in the 2012 French drama Rust and Bone alongside Marion Cotillard. Under the direction of Alice Winocour in the film Disorder, we once again get to see him as the principal performer.
Vincent (Matthias Schoenaerts) is a soldier in the process of being released from the army. He suffers from PTSD which manifests itself in the form of hallucinations and bouts of anxiety. While he waits for the final verdict on his future from the army he takes on a job where he is a member of a team running security at the party of a wealthy Lebanese businessman. He is retained to look after the wife (Diane Kruger) and son when the businessman is called away. Despite the tranquility of the home and its large estate, Vincent perceives a danger is not too far away. Whether this is real or in his mind it is hard to tell.
This film is all about the exceptional central performance from Schoenaerts. His character never has a great deal to say, everything is internalised. Much of what he is going through is conveyed using body language and expression. We see everything from the perspective of Vincent. Given that he is having issues with his health he has to be considered to be an unreliable narrator. We see the struggles he has to maintain his poise and the limits of the control that he has over his mind.
The way the film is shot leads to the apprehension that the character feels. When he is under stress the camera is always tight on him with a shallow focus. This emphasises the fact that as Vincent starts to feel anxious the world around him starts to melt away and by necessity has to become less of a distraction. When he returns to normality the camera draws back to a mid shot, showing him gaining stability and the ability to engage with those around him.
The relationship between Vincent and his primary charge, Jessie (Diane Kruger) informs his state of mind. At first, he does everything that a bodyguard should do. He is in the background. Always alert and is deferential when he addresses her. As they spend more time together he changes. It almost becomes voyeuristic. His glances in her direction. Watching her movements on the CCTV cameras and intruding on her personal space are a step up from simple care and protection. In his mind, he is doing this for the right reasons but it obviously comes across slightly differently. You can see the terror in Jessie’s eyes at one point. Vincent is driving with Jessie and her son in the back seat. When he thinks they are being followed he reacts but doesn’t pay any heed to Jessie’s very vocal concerns.This incident then sets the tone for the second half of the film.
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