Synopsis

This is the story of the relationship between a drug addicted inner-city teacher and one of his students. Ryan Gosling plays Dan Dunne, a history teacher and cocaine addict who's downward spiral is rapidly reaching bottom. Shareeka Epps is Drey, his exceptional but troubled thirteen year old student.

Pros:

• Shareeka Epps gives the best debut performance I've seen in twelve or fifteen years.


• Ryan Gosling and Anthony Mackie (as a drug dealer) turn in equally remarkable performances.


• One of the most honest, unflinching scripts about drug abuse and loneliness that I've ever seen filmed.

Cons:

• A jerky, hand-held camera style that got on my nerves throughout.


• The movie's intensity might be too much for many viewers. This movie will haunt you.

Generally:

Four on a five scale. Only the haphazard cinematography kept me from being totally absorbed by this movie.


When's the last time you saw a movie that made you want to run out into the street, grab people passing by, and tell them "Come with me, you've GOT to see this movie"? I've just finished watching such a movie, Half Nelson, a film that boasts some of the most enthralling acting I think I've ever seen. And if superb acting weren't enough, this movie's story never makes one false move. It's believable and absorbing all the way through, with an honest and powerful ending that makes no compromises.

This is the kind of movie that I hope to see every time I watch a drama.

The subject-matter in Half-Nelson is, I admit, a bit off-putting. Wendy had to beg, borrow and threaten to get me to sit down and watch a movie about a crack-addicted teacher and a troubled student. It sounded like a total downer of a movie. And in some ways, it is. This isn't a "feel-good" film by any stretch. It's demanding, but rewarding. It's often unpleasant, but it's thoroughly genuine. And the characters, far from cliches, are richly embodied. I found myself feeling involved with the lives of these characters, caring about their decisions and their futures, and emotionally invested in the story.

As Drey, the thirteen year old girl, Shareeka Epps absolutely steals this movie. Her performance crackles with pent-up energy and desperation. With a brother in jail, an absentee father who simply doesn't care about his kids, and a mother who has to work double shifts to support her family, Drey is in dire need of a role model, a father figure. There are two men in her life who are the likely candidates for that role.

One is her history teacher, Mr. Dunne. During the course of the movie, there is evidence to indicate that at one point, Mr. Dunne was an inspiring and important teacher for a number of students. But when the story begins, Dan Dunne is at the end of his rope. A long-time addiction to cocaine has given way to a burgeoning new crack habit, and Dunne can barely keep it together. His dedication to his students, especially those (like Drey) who he coaches in basketball, is apparent. But Dunne has lost the ability to steer his life. As the teacher, Ryan Gosling is really outstanding. This is one of those performances wherein the character's behavior just gets worse and worse. Nonetheless, the acting is such that, as a viewer, I remained concerned and captivated.

Drey's other potential father figure is Frank, a shady guy who has apparently played a role in the arrest and incarceration of Drey's brother. Frank shows an interest in Drey and her family early in the film, but it's obvious that he's not the guardian angel that he'd have the girl believe he is. Frank is a drug dealer, and he's always on the look-out for new blood to keep his product on the street. Drey's brother Mike was loyal and effective for Frank. Maybe Drey will be, too. Anthony Mackie plays Frank with such conviction and complexity that he manages to make the character human, even somewhat likable. His performance, like those by Gosling and Epps, is something to behold.

Still, this movie belongs to Shareeka Epps. Every little nuance she brings to her performance is powerful and very, very real. It's in the way she speaks volumes with her eyes and her posture. The way she hold back smiles, as though she's learned to mistrust happiness. The way she packs two or three word lines with intensity and emotion. Her work in this movie is flat-out astounding.

Half Nelson hinges on these three strong performances, but the story itself is top-notch, too. The movie never ceased to surprise me with it's honesty. In one scene we meet Dan Dunne's family, people who appear to be model versions of upper-middle-class white liberals. They wear their politics on their sleeves, but like Dan himself, they're both more and less than they seem. There are a number of ugly flaws beneath their glossy progressive interior, including emotional disconnection, alcoholism ... even racism. When the family characters were first introduced, I became uneasy. I thought the movie was going to become preachy, showing us examples of the successful, informed liberals that Dan might have been, were it not for drugs. Not so. Dan's family, for all their pontifications and pronouncements, are clearly the same damaged stock that turned out this damaged history teacher.

I don't want to say too much about the story, the plot progressions, and the powerful ending. I will say, though, that the movie ends with small signs of hope. But it's an honest hope, not a miracle 180 degree turn-around. That's important in terms of the movie's truth and realism. This movie is too candid for a sugar-coated conclusion. And I'm glad for that. A character like Drey, as portrayed by the remarkable Shareeka Epps, deserves both hope and honesty. Half-Nelson delivers both ... for Drey and for the audience alike.

The trailer for Half Nelson:

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