Combining the inspirational inner city teacher tale with a drug abuse story, HALF NELSON bucks all the stereotypes of the similar tales that came before. The film is brought to life with complete dedication by the central performers Ryan Gosling and Shareeka Epps.
Gosling (THE NOTEBOOK) plays Dan Dunne, a middle school teacher in the inner city, who also happens to be a semi-functional drug addict. He coaches the girls' basketball team, which includes Drey (Epps). Dunne is an unconventional teacher, who strives to make his students think rather than sticking to the school board approved material. His passion for teaching is one of the traits that attracts fellow teacher Isabel (Monique Curnen, LADY IN THE WATER) to him. However, when his now clean ex Rachel (Tina Holmes, TV's SIX FEET UNDER) shows up, it's the start of Dunne's downward spiral, which begins with Drey discovering him smoking crack.
Drey is a quiet girl, who puts on a tough demeanor to hide the sadness and loneliness that lurks under the surface. Her mother Karen (Karen Chilton) works long hours as an EMT and Drey doesn't seem to have many friends. The neighborhood drug dealer Frank (Anthony Mackie, MILLION DOLLAR BABY) gives Drey and her mother money as a payback for Drey's brother going to jail for him. Frank seems to be feeling Drey out to take over for her brother, but Drey doesn't seem to want to go that route… at least at first.
Dunne is an inspiring teacher, but his demons also make him dangerous. The conflicts in the film powerfully enforce the degree good teachers and bad ones can influence their students. During one classroom lesson, Dunne tells his kids that no one is perfect and that in Western society it's hard to understand that everything is both good and bad. This theme runs throughout the story, in both the actions of Dunne and Drey. Just because Dunne may be a bad influence it doesn't make him an outright bad teacher.
Director/co-writer Ryan Fleck, along with co-writer Anna Boden, draw complex characters who live and react to their environments as real people would. Unlike other teacher movies, Dunne is not a magical scholar who enlightens a whole classroom of underprivileged students. Some of his philosophical discussions are clearly over the heads of his young students. However, he engages and endears himself to his students, which makes them listen and respect him nonetheless. He seems to care, which is most important quality a teacher can have. Drey connects and is highly influenced by her teacher and coach as she looks for direction in her own life. When she discovers his drug use, we watch, precariously perched on the edge, as we wait to see how she will react — inform on Dunne, experiment herself or give up her resistance to Frank and his easy money.
Gosling deserved his Oscar nod for selling every moment of the tormented but good man. His slow decline is measured and patient. Subtly is key to the performance. And the same can be said of Epps. Her win at the Independent Spirit Awards was well deserved. Her effortless portrayal of a tough street kid never once robs the character of its teenage innocence. She may have seen and heard of things suburban kids could never imagine, but it doesn't change the fact that she is still a child trying her best to cope. Watch her when she smiles; it's a window into the character's soul. It's a brilliant performance that would have been an accomplishment for an older, more experienced actor to pull off.
This is one of those films that stays with you and works on you over time. It tackles topics we've seen before, but it does so in such an original, subtle way that one might miss the complexity of it all. The writing is first rate and the performances are remarkable. There have been many teacher/student movies before, but few have been this good and truthful about why good teachers are so important.
Rick DeMott
Animation World Network
Creator of Rick's Flicks Picks
