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Under all its quiet nuances lies a film full of anger and political rage. Half Nelson displays the failure to communicate between people, emotions, lovers and your self. A story about a friendship between a white history teacher, addicted to crack, stunningly portrayed by Ryan Gosling, equally matched by his black student Shareeka Epps, trying to get into dealing drugs. Here Ryan Fleck brings us questions of morality and who truly owns that word and why it has governed our political landscape.

one of the things i liked most about this movie is the fact that it doesn’t fall into the patronizing trap of sensitive white guy saves a black youth. the relationship between the two main characters is much more subtle and nuanced than that. all the characters are flawed and real. gosling, when given good material is one of the most talented young american actors around and shreeka epps also shines in an understated and powerful performance. highly recommended (oh and the soundtrack is quite good also!)

It’s the end of summer; time to dump all those films that wouldn’t hold up as summer blockbusters and gear up for award season. Lucky we have our trusty indie theatres, saving us from the boredom of sitting through paint-by-numbers fare, by offering more festival circuit darlings. This week sees the opening of the much-hailed Half Nelson. While most praise is bestowed upon star Ryan Gosling—justly so—this film is much more than one man. One man does not make a movie, and we are treated to one of the years best here. From the gritty, hand-held camerawork, emotion-wrought close-ups, nuanced acting, and realism to the stresses of life, every facet is utilized to the utmost effectiveness. Credit newcomers Ryan Fleck and his co-writer Anna Boden for crafting a beautiful story about humanity and the strong will for the survival of others overpowering any self-loathing one might weigh himself down with.

Gosling is truly a tour-de-force in terms of his multi-faceted character Dan Dunne. He is a man who has gone through the worst of his addition to crack, and been through rehab only to find that he still can’t handle life without the crutch. Dunne has decided to live for the moment and in doing so has to periodically wake up to the rest of his life passing him by. As Frank (a great performance from Anthony Mackie as a conflicted drug dealer) says at one point, baseheads don’t have friends. Gosling says his addiction is in his control, that the children ground him. Unfortunately he just doesn’t see how he pushes those he loves away at every turn. When his secret is revealed to one of his students, there is a revelation. Someone has come into his world that can help him, who knows his problem and can try and steer him back to life. This young girl, however, is on the brink of a downfall herself; seeing her mother work double shifts to stay afloat while being helped by the drug dealer who was the cause for her brother’s incarceration. Why not help out and make some fast cash?

Shareeka Epps is the young girl who has discovered a kindred spirit in her teacher and coach. Her character Drey sees an intelligent individual, trying to make a difference in the world while also being tied to the underbelly of addiction. The two live parallel lives, both knowing the natural progression of the others’ circumstances and trying to stop that path for the other while slowly falling off the cliff themselves. Epps is amazingly real as Drey. She has all the emotions of a Middle Schooler bottled up inside, trying to survive without a older figure steadily in her life. Her innocence and purity, however, does come out when talking with Gosling, as does his. They can open their souls to each other and know they won’t be judged. This relationship is why it is so heartwrenching emotionally to watch the climax of the film, when we see that fate takes us to room 50 where all our demons are released.

Yes the performances are acted to perfection, but much credit needs to be given to the writers. Gosling and Epps are layered emotionally with careful attention to detail. The film is told in short snippets of life’s travels, and each moment peels back a layer that has been buried underneath thick skin. A thirteen-year-old girl should not have the immense weight which Drey has unleashed on herself. The journeys she takes with her teacher, her mother, her brother, and Frank show the world through her eyes, and the bleakness that is so close she doesn’t think she can avoid it. As far as Dunne goes, when we see his tries at a relationship culminate in his contempt for those who can’t follow his deep philosophical thinking, we see a man in crisis. He has been disillusioned at a young age, as seen in a nicely orchestrated dinner scene with his family. All his needs for equality are very close to heart. He won’t teach from a Civil Rights syllabus because that would be short-changing the subject. Dunne wants to bring about change in his students, he wants to show the competing pressures of opposites and make a difference in their lives, as he has not been able to do in his own. The human soul is a complicated force of nature in this way. It seems to never have a problem giving up on itself, as we are all sinners striving for good. However, to give up on those around us that we love cannot be done no matter how much we try. Tension can rise to a boil, but when you see those around you in peril you do your best to wake up and do what you can to help them strive for the better. One never knows the outcome; at any moment everything can once again fall apart. We do know that by trying there is always hope.

Unfortunately I didn’t get the chance to watch this when in came here in the UK back in April 2007, because it naturally shows in cities in not in my town. Luckily I was able to rent it out on DVD and watch it this afternoon. I knew I would like it and I was exactly right.

Half Nelson may appear to be on the outsight a typically clichéd American inspirational film. Well it just isn’t. I have to admit that I thought it might be but towards the middle of the film, it just burst with originality. For a start our main character Dan Dunne, played by Gosling is hooked on drugs and his apartment isn’t the kind of apartment you would expect from a teacher. I loved the fact that he owned a cat rather than a dog, often considered “man’s best friend.” Dunne also heavily relies on drugs but his job as a teacher, does make him hypocritical and there’s also a sense of irony. His job possibly accelerates from his addiction to drugs and the school often doesn’t have any students who graduate at all. That alone does symbolise something. Dunne, as we are believed to know that he constantly strives to fight against the injustices of the world. This is shown, in particular, in one scene in which he rants about the Weapon’s of Mass Description (Iraq) to someonbody he doesn’t know. Dunne also constantly teaches in such a way that isn’t known to many of his fellow teachers. That demonstrates the original look on this topic. We aren’t seeing a teacher who is flawless; Dunne has many flaws and wants to make a difference in the children.

Half Nelson, for me is one of the most realistic films I have seen for a while. It’s also flawless on all levels as I just felt like I was watching something that I would see in everyday life. Nothing was clichéd, inaccurate or over indulgent just the sort of film that I want to see. It’s depiction of people who expertise their emotions in such a regressive way it incredibly realistic, as I have just said on many occasions…..yes I may rant a bit here. This is also shown to us in such a brilliant way that you understand every bit of emotion from every character.

The acting in this is truly remarkable. Naturally Ryan Gosling shines as Dan Dunne and produces a character that, despite his flaws you still mange to like him. So deserving of that Oscar nomination that I hope he picks the right sort of films in the future. I will try and see Lars and the Real Girl soon. Supporting roles from Shareeka Epps, in particular was also brilliant. I felt like towards the end of the film both characters were very similar indeed. You can see the character of Dunne tries to make in difference in her life in the hope that he does something that he couldn’t do for himself. Very hard to believe the actress was infact 8 months younger than I am and playing a 13 year old. I will be looking forward to any of her films in the future.

Half Nelson is also incredibly well written, and as I said before so well done that it’s more believable. The film also contains some marvellous cinematography often reflecting the mood and atmosphere within most scenes in the film. I just wish Americans would make more compelling stories like this about people, in real circumstance out of the, let?s say the usual structure of society-that we are often depicted in many many American films in particular. These sorts of films will draw in the audiences; I guess it?s just not always the case a film like this comes along.

Half Nelson is one remarkable film that draws upon the hard realism of society. It also depicts a teacher who is out of the normal constructs of a stereotypical teacher that we are often shown and one which is still inspirational, despite his flaws. We are also shown a relationship between the teacher and a student, which doesn?t in any way feel inappropriate or unnecessary but showing that both can make a difference o each other. I can?t recommend this enough. Ryan Gosling gives a sensational performance which should never been forgotten. Go out and rent it now. A Masterpiece for me.