GRADE: B+
Monster’s Ball, Ali, Training Day, are films with superb performances, yet the films themselves never reach that level of strength. Ryan Gosling has power and on-screen presence to carry a film to any emotional conclusion a script has to offer. Half Nelson is a well directed film that comes from newcomer Ryan Fleck, who also co-wrote the script with Anna Boden. This film is the dark horse that shocked audiences with their array of film awards and nominations in festivals across the board. Ryan Gosling has built a reputation with such appreciation and honor with his fine craft in the world of acting. Half Nelson, which did earn Ryan Gosling his first Academy Award nomination, is just another step closer to receiving an Oscar.
Half Nelson was made by Sony Pictures and Think Film Entertainment. The MPAA gave this film an R rating for its use of drug content throughout the film, language, and some sexuality. It stars Ryan Gosling (from The Notebook, Fracture, and Stay), Anthony Mackie (from Million Dollar Baby), and introducing Shareeka Epps. Half Nelson tells the story of Mr. Dunne, an 8th grade History teacher in a school of black kids in Brooklyn who shuns the provided curriculum style in favor of his own unprepared and impromptu teaching style. He has profound heartfelt lectures about the importance of History, but usually speaks primarily of dialectics, the tensions between two opposing forces. Mr. Dunne is torn between his desire to change the world and his increasingly hopeless recognition that he just can't, at least not in the grand ways that he envisioned as a college student. He starts to use drugs as a way to escape the pain of life, and it turns into an addiction that carries psychological weight. In class, Dan (Ryan Gosling) demonstrates how the world is structured into opposing forces by arm-wrestling one of his students. This personal approach of his inspires students in class, but we don't see the effects outside of the class. The film focuses on Dan (Mr. Dunne) and the relationship that builds between himself and Drey (Shareeka Epps), a 13-year-old student of his who catches him in the school bathroom smoking crack after school.
Half Nelson was recognized for Ryan Gosling’s portrayal of teacher Mr. Dunne. The film received high admiration in the Independent Spirit Awards, New York Film Critics Circle, Sundance, and many others. It was most noticed for the Grand Jury Prize for Dramatic Film (equal to the Oscar’s best picture in a film festival) and, in addition to it’s Academy Award nomination. Other than its film nominations and Ryan Gosling’s well deserved nomination, in festivals the performances by Shareeka Epps and Anthony Mackie received much praise. Ryan Fleck’s writing and direction added a very raw, edgy tone to this somber story. This film has depth and a strong story told in a subtle way that has impacted audiences, which is shocking for a film that was shot in 23 days.
Half Nelson relies on Ryan Gosling and his powerful portrayal of the character, Dan Dunne, to carry its story. The film was shot very basic and without special effects or anything that would run a high budget. I thoroughly enjoyed its use of distortion in shots to give the audience the feeling of being disorientated as if we were seeing through the eyes of the character Mr. Dunne. It also included interesting segments of archived historical footage to show what he was teaching his students. It gave the film a different spin in telling the story. This is an important film that digs deep into the racial problems of a white teacher living in an all black neighborhood.
Half Nelson is a very strong story and was highly honored in many festivals and the Academy Awards. It is a well done and well told film. Hopefully reviews and the praise bring this film out to more audiences so it is not overlooked. Ryan Gosling has built a reputation and status as an actor. He started in movies very young with films that were independent or small, yet he still built his resume with great performances. Not to say his stint in the Mickey Mouse Club went unnoticed. He is just an amazing actor and ranks up the tops of his generation. In Half Nelson, for instance, he studied little nuances of drug addicts. It’s very subtle but slight little flicks to wiping his nose on his coat collar never went unnoticed. What many probably don’t know is that this film started out as a short film called
Gowanus, Brooklyn, which won an award at the Sundance Film Festival.
Shareeka Epps and
Karen Chilton reprised their roles as Drey and Drey's mother.
Matt Kerr, who plays the substitute teacher Mr. Light in this film, played Mr. Dunne in the original short. Another fun fact while the filming of Half Nelson, is that
Rachel McAdams (The Notebook, Red Eye, The Family Stone, Red Eye) came to the set during the filming of the bar scene. While they were running low on bar extras, to help the producers out, Rachel hopped in to help make the scene look busy. Her scene never made the final cut. I found the most moving part of my viewing experience occurred during Ryan Gosling’s heart-wrenching powerful scene where he’s snorting coke and talking about how teaching kids keeps him focused. Gosling’s very sad line, which I will censor for language sake; “I used to be so, F’ed up. I used to be so F’ed up, I was just out there, you know. But I f’in’ cleaned up. (Giggle) I cleaned up… (Sniffs a line of coke) for the most part. I do it now to get by. But I can handle it, you know what I mean. I tried the rehab thing. I tried it, didn’t work. Didn’t work. You know, works for some people.” Wow, just breaks your heart doesn’t it?
----Written by: Noel Petok
