An Opening-Night Premiere
Demolition had its world premiere as the opening film of the 2015 Toronto International Film Festival.
Movie
Demolition
Life: Some disassembly required.
An emotionally desperate investment banker finds hope through a woman he meets.
Why it's in the Vault
Demolition finds its greatest strength in Jake Gyllenhaal's strangely detached performance as Davis Mitchell, a man whose response to personal tragedy seems almost disturbingly empty. Rather than expressing grief in familiar ways, he begins questioning the ordinary details of his existence, taking apart objects and routines as though their hidden mechanisms might explain his own feelings. Jean-Marc Vallée blends uncomfortable humor, emotional confusion and moments of unexpected tenderness into an unconventional portrait of loss. Some of its symbolism is rather direct and its eccentricities do not always feel natural, but Davis's fascinating emotional distance gives the film a distinctive identity. A thoughtful, unusual drama that leaves a stronger impression through its character than through its plot.
— Matty, Curator of the Vault*
Atmosphere
Detached, melancholic, unsettling, introspective, liberating
Emotional detachment
Introspection
Dark humor
Emotional intensity
Includes bereavement after a fatal car accident, emotional distress, destructive behavior, strong language, substance use, bullying and violence.
Dans les coulisses
Ce qu'on ne voit pas à l'écran
An Original Screenplay
Bryan Sipe wrote the story, which was not adapted from a novel or memoir.
A Film Delayed by Another Project
Jean-Marc Vallée had planned to direct Demolition earlier, but made Wild first.
Real Streets, Unexpected Extras
Vallée filmed Gyllenhaal and Naomi Watts on Manhattan streets, sometimes capturing unsuspecting passersby as background figures.
Music as Characterization
Vallée built playlists for his characters, using Karen and Chris's musical tastes to influence Davis's increasingly disrupted world.
An Audience Award at SXSW
The film won the Headliners Audience Award at South by Southwest in 2016.
Aux origines
An original screenplay by Bryan Sipe
Palette
Les couleurs du film
Concrete Grey#83898C
Muted Office Blue#647B8B
Demolition Dust#B4A99B
Construction Orange#C87845
City Night Navy#303E4A
Faded Letter Cream#D8CEBA
Images
