Rent Half Nelson (2006)
3.2 of 5 from 191 ratings
1h 42min
- General info
- Available formats
- Synopsis:
- Dan Dunne (Ryan Gosling) is an inner city high school teacher. Dynamic and inspirational in the classroom, he spends his time outside of school on the edge of consciousness. His personal disappointments and disillusionment have led to a serious drug habit. Dan juggles his hangovers and his homework, keeping his lives separated, until one of his students, Drey (Shareeka Epps), catches him getting high after school. From this awkward begging, Dan and Drey stumble into an expected friendship. They are both at an important intersection. Depending on which way they turn, their lives are going to change.
- Actors:
- Ryan Gosling, Anthony Mackie, Shareeka Epps, Jeff Lima, Nathan Corbett, Tyra Kwao-Vovo, Rosemary Ledee, Tristan Wilds, Bryce Silver, Kaela C. Pabon, Erica Rivera, Stephanie Bast, Eleanor Hutchins, Sebastian Sozzi, Tina Holmes, Karen Chilton, Kitty, Starla Benford, Denis O'Hare, Monique Gabriela Curnen
- Directors:
- Ryan Fleck
- Writers:
- Ryan Fleck, Anna Boden
- Studio:
- Axiom
- Genres:
- Drama
- Collections:
- Back to School: Best Films Featuring Teachers, Films & TV by topic, Getting to Know: Ryan Gosling, Oscar Nominations Competition 2024
- BBFC:
- Release Date:
- Not released
- Run Time:
- 105 minutes
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Reviews (4) of Half Nelson
Great Drama - Half Nelson review by sb
Very good urban drama with Gosling as the heart of gold teacher who seems to function normally but has a serious secret drug habit - one of his pupils (Epps) discovers this but keeps quiet and the two strike up a tentative frienship - her uncle is a dealer and tries to get her to join the business - forcing Gosling into direct action. What's interesting about it is that is non-judgemental - a junkie teacher would be an obvious target for moral panic but the film merely observes without drawing any conclusions - both leads work very together and Gosling shows even back then just what a superb actor he is - highly reccomended...
1 out of 1 members found this review helpful.
Good US Indie. - Half Nelson review by Steve
A sincere, dedicated teacher serving poor kids in New York, is trying to help a troubled thirteen year old girl, when she discovers his heroin addiction, and the wreckage of his own personal life. Ryan Gosling and Shareeka Epps really make you care, despite the slightly contrived set up and the bleak themes.
1 out of 1 members found this review helpful.
Impressive story and acting though quite dull. - Half Nelson review by CP Customer
From a storyline and acting point of view it's very hard to fault 'Half Nelson', the trouble is the actual film is pretty dull and often quite boring. The idea of a young high school teacher who during working hours is hard working, inspirational and well liked by both students and colleges and in his free time descends into a world of hard drug and alcohol abuse, is an incredibly clever idea and one that should have made an absorbing an engrossing film. Sadly it fails completely, aside from a good performance from Ryan Gosling the film never really grips you in any way, you never really feel any empathy for the character of Dan and the result is a fairly boring and dull hour and a half.
0 out of 0 members found this review helpful.