2008 Woodie Awards
Movie Review: "Half Nelson"
Teacher struggles with demons of addiction
By: Maria Adams
Issue date: 9/28/06 Section: LifeStyle
- Page 1 of 1
A teacher grapples with a hard lesson in "Half Nelson."
Dan Dunne (Ryan Gosling) is a history teacher and basketball coach for inner city youths. He is engaging, intelligent and a drug addict.
Every day, Dunne struggles to pass on teachings that he cannot follow. He is a man doomed to repeat his own history, entangled in a terrible cycle of dependency. Confronted by a 13-year-old student, Drey, (Shareeka Epps) who has discovered his secret, Dunne finds that a change in himself can only come through conflict, both within himself and from his student.
The film is a strikingly painful look into addiction. Dunne is a troubled mentor who sought counseling to overcome his demons - but has failed. He has given into the idea that addiction is the only reality he knows. His life is a constant balancing act to reach any level of functionality.
This internal battle is further complicated by the entrance of Dunne's student Drey. She is a poor girl from a broken home, equally conflicted by the reality of her own situation. Her brother is in jail and her primary circle of support, both financially and emotionally, comes from a group of drug dealers. However, Drey feels compelled to save Dunne. She can hardly survive herself yet she takes Dunne's burden as her own.
Nearly every character is facing terrible difficulties, and nearly every one of them is trying to fix someone else. They are so preoccupied by the concerns of others that they forget they also are needing care. No one is willing to take that first step and admit they have a problem.
In a sometimes brutally realistic fashion, the film portrays the struggles of these characters through addiction and daily trials of survival in downtrodden neighborhoods; it never seems to push the viewer toward judgments. While the characters judge everyone outside themselves, the film seems to retain objectivity. There is no strict disapproval of the actions, nor is there support.
The story is a portrayal of fact in the sense that it sets occurrences in front of the viewer and then allows the audience to take these moments for what they are. It is not so much a moral condemnation as it is a social commentary.
Gosling ("The Notebook") is fantastic as the teacher - torn between being a mentor and being mortal. He manages to bring a subtlety to the role that is both pitiable and inexcusable.
Epps gives an equally intriguing performance as a young girl on the cusp of maturation. She flawlessly portrays a child torn by pressures of adulthood.
The film is a beautiful account of weakness. It explores the difficulty of moving past expectation, and accepting the hand that life deals out. The story is far from unique. However, it is at times a heart-wrenching cinematic expression and proves to be touching in a way that is rare to most films today.
"Half Nelson" is currently being featured at the Tivoli.
Dan Dunne (Ryan Gosling) is a history teacher and basketball coach for inner city youths. He is engaging, intelligent and a drug addict.
Every day, Dunne struggles to pass on teachings that he cannot follow. He is a man doomed to repeat his own history, entangled in a terrible cycle of dependency. Confronted by a 13-year-old student, Drey, (Shareeka Epps) who has discovered his secret, Dunne finds that a change in himself can only come through conflict, both within himself and from his student.
The film is a strikingly painful look into addiction. Dunne is a troubled mentor who sought counseling to overcome his demons - but has failed. He has given into the idea that addiction is the only reality he knows. His life is a constant balancing act to reach any level of functionality.
This internal battle is further complicated by the entrance of Dunne's student Drey. She is a poor girl from a broken home, equally conflicted by the reality of her own situation. Her brother is in jail and her primary circle of support, both financially and emotionally, comes from a group of drug dealers. However, Drey feels compelled to save Dunne. She can hardly survive herself yet she takes Dunne's burden as her own.
Nearly every character is facing terrible difficulties, and nearly every one of them is trying to fix someone else. They are so preoccupied by the concerns of others that they forget they also are needing care. No one is willing to take that first step and admit they have a problem.
In a sometimes brutally realistic fashion, the film portrays the struggles of these characters through addiction and daily trials of survival in downtrodden neighborhoods; it never seems to push the viewer toward judgments. While the characters judge everyone outside themselves, the film seems to retain objectivity. There is no strict disapproval of the actions, nor is there support.
The story is a portrayal of fact in the sense that it sets occurrences in front of the viewer and then allows the audience to take these moments for what they are. It is not so much a moral condemnation as it is a social commentary.
Gosling ("The Notebook") is fantastic as the teacher - torn between being a mentor and being mortal. He manages to bring a subtlety to the role that is both pitiable and inexcusable.
Epps gives an equally intriguing performance as a young girl on the cusp of maturation. She flawlessly portrays a child torn by pressures of adulthood.
The film is a beautiful account of weakness. It explores the difficulty of moving past expectation, and accepting the hand that life deals out. The story is far from unique. However, it is at times a heart-wrenching cinematic expression and proves to be touching in a way that is rare to most films today.
"Half Nelson" is currently being featured at the Tivoli.
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