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Ryan Gosling, Shareeka Epps, Anthony Mackie, Tina Holmes, Jay O Sanders ... see more see more... , Denis O'Hare , Nicole Vicius , Deborah Rush , Monique Curnen , Starla Benford , Karen Chilton , Collins Pennie , Sebastian Sozzi

An inner-city teacher struggling with addiction forms an unlikely bond with a young student who catches him in a compromising position in director Ryan Fleck's feature-length adaptation of his own awa... read more read more...rd-winning short film Gowanus, Brooklyn. Despite his dedication to the junior-high students who fill his classroom, idealistic teacher Dan Dunne (Ryan Gosling) leads a secret life that the majority of his students will never know. When Dunne's drug-soaked nightlife begins to bleed over into his daytime hours and troubled student Drey (Shareeka Epps) makes a startling discovery, the tenuous bond that forms between the pair soon leads to a warm friendship that could either lead them down a dangerous path or provide the human companionship needed to see things from a fresh perspective and start life anew. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

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82% liked it

51,411 ratings

Critics

90% liked it

153 critics

R, 1 hr. 27 min.

Directed by: Ryan Fleck

Release Date: August 11, 2006

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DVD Release Date: April 24, 2007

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Flixster Reviews (5,891)

  • brooklynspo
    July 29, 2007
    brooklynspo
    Gowanus, baby! That's my Brooklyn.

    Sophisticated but somewhat hazy (existential-dialectic-liberal) look at the conflict and dis-integration of the personal and the political. Good premise, great performances, good intentions - but Half Nelson comes up a bit short storywise. ... read more

    - the final scene reminded me of the one in the Graduate

    .. and even if it is at times appropriate here, i still hate twitchy floaty zoomy handheld camera-work.
  • fb791220692
    April 19, 2012
    fb791220692
    It's a refreshing deviation from the 'inspirational inner city teacher' cliche, and a decent exploration of morality. It has other good things going for it as well, especially the performances of Ryan Gosling and Anthony Mackie (more recently seen in The Adjustment Bureau). Howev... read moreer, the film constantly tries to be political, and I would have to say that it fails in that regard, since it doesn't make a clear, fleshed-out argument. The random scenes of students explaining historical events only connect with the actual story on the broadest of levels, and they only really serve to take audiences out of that story. There's also the overuse of handheld camera shakiness, which helps to add a gritty realism at first points but becomes pretty annoying before too long. Still, "Half Nelson" succeeds in its depiction of troubled characters that actually feel troubled. From a directing and writing standpoint, the film outshines Ryan Fleck and Anna Boden's more recent film "It's Kind of a Funny Story," a very, very different film that nonetheless highlights that the biggest problem of "Half Nelson" is that it takes itself too seriously.
  • LWOODS04
    March 18, 2012
    LWOODS04
    Cast: Ryan Gosling, Shareeka Epps, Anthony Mackie, Deborah Rush, Jay O. Sanders, Nicole Vicius, Denis O'Hare, Tina Holmes

    Director: Ryan Fleck

    Summary: Transcending age and race, an improbable friendship between crack-addicted educator Dan Dunne (Oscar-nominated Ryan Gosling) a... read morend streetwise middle-schooler Drey (Shareeka Epps) may lead them to deliverance -- or destruction -- in this powerful urban drama. After Drey finds Dunne feeding his habit in a locker room, she becomes a conduit for a life-changing lesson. Gosling and Epps won Independent Spirit awards for their lead roles.

    My Thoughts: "Another great performance by Ryan Gosling. The man is one of the best actors in films today. I really liked Shareeka Epps in this as well. She comes off as having a hard shell, but her emotions scream through it. Very talented girl. I feel like Dunne and Drey's teacher and student relationship being more then just that should bother me and feel a bit creepy. But it didn't. They are both lonely and looking for something to just help them get through their lives. It just felt like he was trying to help her and without him knowing it, she was helping him in the process. Great cast, acting, and directing. One of Gosling's best acting roles. The shakiness of the camera was a bit distracting for me at first, but bout an hour in I forgot to notice it. Besides that, I have no other complaints. The film was really one of Gosling's best."

    Dan Dunne: "One thing doesn't make a man".
  • fb100001048934982
    January 27, 2012
    fb100001048934982
    Ryan Gosling and company give great performances, but the original charm the characters seem to offer slowly dwindles until Gosling's character stoops to a new low. At this point, the movie hits an astonishing low as well, and the film loses a heavy dose of entertainment value as... read more it trudges along.
  • MrMarakai
    January 5, 2012
    MrMarakai
    Ryan Gosling is one of those actors that is in danger of his talents being overshadowed because he's seen as eye candy for the female cinema going public - much in the same way that Brad Pitt has suffered. However, if he keeps producing high calibre performances such as this, the... read moren there will be no denying why he's on screen in the first place.
    Dan Dunne (Gosling) teaches in a poor school where his unusual approach engages the pupils. But out of school, frustration fuels his drug habit. One night troubled student Drey (Shareeka Epps) chances upon him while he's high on crack cocaine, and a bond is forged.
    It's unfair to praise a film based solely on one person's performance, especially when the writing, directing and supporting actors all do their fair share. But this is a film that's hard to see beyond the lead actor. Gosling is the real deal; nuanced and edgy with blink-and-you'll-miss-it subtlety. He's an actor that possesses the unique ability to say very little but express so much. Full of subtle ticks and mannerisms, to convey his feelings. In this case, a struggling addict trying to function in his day-to-day life. It's another marvellous and understated performance that garnered him a well deserved Oscar nomination - unlucky to lose out to Forest Whitaker's grandstanding in "The Last King of Scotland". This is a film of many layers, and writers Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck cleverly introduce the theory of Dialectics - the process of change through opposing forces. Gosling and Epps - teacher and pupil - are exactly these opposing forces and only through each other will they ultimately find salvation. The first time I saw this, I enjoyed it for it's indie style but missed the depth it had and didn't really get what all the fuss was about. On second viewing though, it's quality really stands out. This is a nourishing and deliberately paced slice of life that's competently directed by Ryan Fleck in his first feature.
    A rapturous round of applause for all involved in this beautifully crafted and wonderfully acted gem.
  • 76Majikat
    December 4, 2011
    76Majikat
    [My predicted rating: 3.5]

    Very drawn out, yet very gritty and real to life. Another superb intense performance from Gosling, who is fast becoming one of the best Hollywood Actors of today.

    The mood of the film is somewhat depressing, but it just reflects the reality of the c... read moreircumstances and it really explores the depths of a strange relationship, which is close enough to make you feel uneasy watching it, yet on the flip side is a complete meeting of minds.

    Fantastic performance from Shareeka Epps, who we will no doubt see much more of in the future.
  • 3niR
    October 8, 2011
    3niR
    Though I didn't find the story that much entertaining but I must say Ryan Gosling was great in here. My new fave actor. I'm really impressed with his performance over here.
  • Saxia
    October 1, 2011
    Saxia
    Gosling just made it to my favorite actors list. There's something about him that captivates me. He's got that mischievous boyish charm about him, just like Sean Penn.
    His character reminded me a little about the guy he plays in Blue Valentine, which I absolutely loved. But I kn... read moreow he can do more, because in Lars and the Real Girl he does something totally different.

    Anyway. I recommend this movie and if you haven't seen the other two movies, you should!
  • shawnewing92
    October 1, 2011
    shawnewing92
    The majority of Half Nelson focus is on it's lead character; a history teacher and a functioning drug addict. Ryan Gosling's performance is undoubtedly great, but I think I would have liked to see more progression in the story rather than it's lead character.
  • blkbomb
    July 27, 2011
    blkbomb
    Dan: Second chances are rare, man. You ought to take better advantage of them. 

    Half Nelson is an above average drug-related film. The movie succeeds because of its performances. It doesn't have a complicated storyline or even a storyline to begin with. It's a story about a teac... read moreher who has a drug problem and that's all the plot you need when you can pull the performances out of the actors that we see here. The movie is subtly powerful. It never tries to hammer us over the head with it's powerfulness though. Unlike a lot of movies; we don't see the main character completely lose it and weep all over the place and vow to change his life and that's pretty refreshing. 

    Like I said above, the performance in Half Nelson are really out of this world. Ryan Gosling, Shareeka Epps and Anthony Mackie. Gosling is quickly becoming a favorite of mine. His performance here as Dan Dunne, a history teacher with a crack problem, is definitely Oscar potential. It would have been a crime if he hadn't been nominated. His character has major problems, but we always see how good a person he is through his relationship with a student, Drey(Shareeka Epps). Epps also gives a magnificent performance. Her and Gosling's chemistry is off the charts and in the end is what makes the movie. If those two have bad chemistry; the movie would have been a total disaster. Then there's Anthony Mackie, who continues to be in good movie after good movie. He's not a lead actor, but he is always good in that supporting role.

    What your not going to get here is a fast moving, plot driven film. If that's what you want, don't watch it because your going to be disappointed. The movie is slow moving, as every character study is. Hence the word study. If you can sit through a slow moving movie and get something out of it, this is a great movie to watch. There's individual scenes with great power to them. 

    If not for the movie itself, watch it for Ryan Gosling. He is fast becoming a force to be reckoned with.

View All Half Nelson Reviews

Critic Reviews

Bob Mondello
October 18, 2008
Bob Mondello, NPR.org

Ryan Gosling's self-destructive teacher is easily the year's most mesmerizing character study. And he's hardly the only reason to see this film. Shareeka Epps anchors her scenes as Drey with a self-po... Full Review

Joe Baltake
February 1, 2007
Joe Baltake, Passionate Moviegoer

'Half Nelson': A Magnetic Ryan Gosling Full Review

Roger Moore
October 20, 2006
Roger Moore, Orlando Sentinel

The movie comes down to Gosling's spot-on performance and how we feel about it. Full Review

Andrew O'Hehir
October 7, 2006
Andrew O'Hehir, Salon.com

Gosling is indeed amazing as a bewildered, depressed New York schoolteacher who is slipping into dire drug addiction; it's exactly the kind of star turn in a smaller film that Academy voters could (an... Full Review

Terry Lawson
October 6, 2006
Terry Lawson, Detroit Free Press

Although the subject promises more than the film can deliver, there is compensation in Gosling's convincing, unromanticized portrayal of someone seeking escape from longing and loss that neither he no... Full Review

Bob Longino
September 21, 2006
Bob Longino, Atlanta Journal-Constitution

For a solid 107 minutes, Gosling shapes his character into a flesh-and-blood tone poem. Full Review

Amy Biancolli
September 15, 2006
Amy Biancolli, Houston Chronicle

It'll be weeks before I shake off [Gosling's] performance -- or the shadows of this small, extraordinary narrative-feature debut from filmmaking partners Ryan Fleck and Anna Boden. Full Review

Michael Booth
September 15, 2006
Michael Booth, Denver Post

The tone is even and thorough, the performances restrained and believable, the implied future bleak yet somehow satisfying. Full Review

Jonathan Rosenbaum
September 15, 2006
Jonathan Rosenbaum, Chicago Reader

One might also argue that a crack addict couldn't be responsible enough to be a good teacher, but he's the most believable protagonist in any American movie I've seen this year. Full Review

Colin Covert
September 14, 2006
Colin Covert, Minneapolis Star Tribune

Ryan Gosling is electrifying in the role, delivering a performance that is sure to catapult him into the front ranks of stardom.

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    • Dan Dunne: The only constant is change.
    • Dan Dunne: One thing doesn't make a man.
    • Dan Dunne: Change moves in spirals, not circles. For example, the sun goes up and then it goes down. But everytime that happens, what do you get? You get a new day. You get a new one. When you breathe, you inhale and you exhale, but every single time that you do that you're a little bit different then the one before. We're always changing. And its important to know that there are some changes you can't control and that there are others you can.
    • Dan Dunne: The sun goes up and then it comes down, but everytime that happens what do you get? You get a new day.
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