merelyaninnuendo Half NelsonThe premise is way too practical to breed the crisp out of the script and the makers being aware of it doesn't spend time on it and instead focuses on its meticulous yet bold character's that helps flow the process smoothly without any friction. There is a nerving sensibility pulsating behind the screen throughout the course of the feature, which builds itself up to this hegemony of dramatic conflicts that starts begging the existence of the character's purpose which communicates and connects immensely with the viewers. It is short on technical aspects like sound department and editing, although is beautifully shot with amazing camera work. Ryan Fleck; the director, has done a tremendous work on executing the anticipated vision and creating a perfect arc for the protagonist that even though is predictable, is certifiably entertaining and electrifying. The performance objective is in safe hands of Ryan Gosling who pulls it off brilliantly as a questionable and not-at-all-lovable character that sweats and struggles, creating a much larger impact on the audience. Half Nelson screeches onto one's heart through ethereal morale by shifting the seats and depicting each individual's perspective that all culminates into one big hug for the viewers, actors, makers and society that connects it all.

moonspinner55 Stark and riveting, "Half Nelson" proves we don't need reality entertainment: this non-glossy, non-'Hollywood' drama seems real enough. Junior high school history teacher and girls' basketball coach Ryan Gosling crawls into a crack-clouded fog once he gets home; one of his inner-city students knows his secret, yet she is harboring troubles of her own. Gosling is inherently charismatic and intrinsically smart while working from a gut instinct, resulting in a performance that is constantly surprising, always unpredictable; as an actor, he is so focused (and brave) that we don't recoil from him even as his character is turned inside-out, showing us behavior that is hardly pretty. Supporting cast is equally strong, aided by an outstanding screenplay from Anna Boden and director Ryan Fleck, who shies away from both sentimentality and melodramatic sensationalism. "Half Nelson" is so good, critics run the risk of overpraising it. It is mainly a quiet movie, a character study in a lower key, and yet what we absorb from it can last for days. *** from ****

Kyle Perez As Dan Dunne wearingly slouches on a couch while his parents, completely oblivious to his condition, intoxicatingly prance around their living room, it becomes painfully apparent to us that he is fighting this battle completely by his lonesome. "I used to be so *beeped* up... but I *beepin* cleaned up" Dan later proudly professes to a teacher he's on a date with, as he proceeds to snort a line off his coke-riddled desk.Half Nelson is not so much a film as it is an in-depth character study, and a masterpiece it is in that regard. The story of Dan Dunne, a troubled (to put it mildly) history teacher is a a refreshingly sobering look - the irony - into the human experience. It provides us with little exposition into any of its characters lives but we learn a great deal of their hardship. And so, we too, like Dan, find ourselves adrift and in a state of confusion.Ryan Gosling is seriously good in this role. His portrayal of a nuanced, reticent, struggling man is about as accurate as one can come to expect. The way he delivers certain mannerisms is so spot on and makes his spiral into despair that much more believable. Also great in their roles are Anthony Mackie, as Frank, and Shareeka Epps, as Drey.But the mastery of Half Nelson stems from the power it punches in its raw subtlety. The writing, directing and acting are not presented as some didactic device that sets out to explore a resolution of its characters problems. Rather, this film depicts a true-to-life story that is as poignant as it is matter-of-fact. And perhaps that is why we are left feeling empty come the film's end - because, sometimes, life doesn't have the answers we have come to expect.

steve_b33 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 friendship - 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 recommended...