Matthias Schoenaerts (Rust And Bone, The Danish Girl) has become the poster boy for international arthouse film; an actor whose hulking frame and flashing eyes exude an animalistic volatility. His presence fills the screen in Disorder (originally titled Maryland), a home invasion thriller that explores paranoia, trauma and attraction.
Schoenaerts survived on two hours of sleep a night while filming Alice Winocour’s drama, in order to play Vincent, an ex-soldier hired as private security for Jessie (Diane Krueger), the trophy wife to a shady business mogul. Vincent’s PTSD goes unnoticed in others, but as his hands shake, his ears ring with pounding electronics and his bourgeoisie charges move in a fever-dream of nightmarish opulence, it’s unclear whether his vigilant watch over Jessie is paranoia, sexual obsession or mere professional diligence.
Krueger and Schoenaerts share a unique and largely silent chemistry, as they warily circle each other. She too is tightly wound, her passivity in a world of men reflected in news reports of oppressed women. When her home comes under attack, her fear of the unknown is matched by her awareness of Vincent’s instability – will he protect her or escalate the danger that surrounds her?
On the directorial front, Winocour displays considerable visual flair. However, her often absurd plot fails to match her technical mastery, as supporting characters and logic inexplicably disappear when convenient, detracting from this tense and intriguing thriller.