Movie Review Half Nelson

Half Nelson (2006) 

Directed by Ryan Fleck 

Written by Anna Boden, Ryan Fleck 

Starring Ryan Gosling, Shareeka Epps, Anthony Mackie 

Release Date September 22nd, 2006 

Published October 23rd, 2006 

I knew when I first saw Ryan Gosling in the indie flick The Believer that he was destined to be an Oscar nominee. His fiery performance as a young jewish skinhead showed the charisma of a young Paul Newman with the range of a Dustin Hoffman. He maintained these skills even in mainstream puff pieces like Murder By Numbers, opposite Sandra Bullock, and the weepy romance The Notebook.

Those two films showed his star potential while indies like The Slaughter Rule and The United States Of Leland showed his acting chops. Now his career has reached the pinnacle that I, not so long ago, saw. Gosling is deservedly an Oscar nominee for his role as a modestly functional addict and teacher in Half Nelson.

Danny Dunne is one of those cool teachers. He's young enough to remember the trials of being a teenager and just old enough to be taken seriously when he gives out his history lessons. That he is also a cocaine addict is a sign; not of his cool, but rather of his astonishing ability to connect with the world while blasted out of his mind.

Dunne's biggest problem is that he simply hasn't hit bottom yet. As a 'functional' addict he is still in a mental state that allows him to believe he is in control of his addiction. Then, one night after coaching a girls basketball game, Dunne is caught by one of his students smoking crack in the girls locker room. Her name is Drey (Shareeka Epps) and her kind response to finding her teacher in this state is a function of her respect for him as a teacher and her own background which is surrounded by drugs, addicts and dealers.

Directed by Ryan Fleck, who also co-wrote the script with Anna Boden, Half Nelson delivers a story with obvious metaphors that yet manages to be deep and thoughtful. Ryan Gosling's Danny is a corrupted soul. Shareeka Epps as his student represents innocence and the potential to be corrupted. When Anthony Mackie shows up as Drey's drug dealing 'uncle' he represents the potential corruptor. Danny finds his salvation in preventing Drey from being corrupted.

It's rather simple really. That is where the incredible performances of Gosling, Epps and Mackie make the difference. The varying speeds and intensities of their individual performances are so precise they make you forget about the obvious metaphors until after the movie, when you've had a moment to reflect. While watching the film you can't help but be in the moment with these wonderful actors.

Ryan Gosling's intense, yet controlled performance is the perfect measure of a functioning addict. In denial about his problems because he is able to perform everyday tasks, Gosling's Danny will reflect the lives of many addicts who manage to make it to work everyday and interact with family and friends without, at least in their mind, letting anyone know about their addiction.

Shareeka Epps expertly captures the naivete of the preternaturally grown up child. Her experiences are those of an adult who has seen far too much but her perspective is still childish and precocious. This is not an easy balance to strike but Epps really nails it. It is a real shame she did not join Ryan Gosling in being nominated for an academy award because she was very deserving.

Ryan Gosling has truly arrived. But, Half Nelson is no revelation, at least not to me. I knew this kid was going to be great one day and that day has simply arrived. A riveting, emotional, turbulent performance that is never overstated, Gosling in Half Nelson paints a human portrait of addiction that illustrates all that is wrong with our drug culture.

Drug use is not a crime but rather a sickness. It needs to be treated with compassion not arrests. Half Nelson, and Ryan Gosling's performance teaches this lesson better than anyone in the office of National Drug Control Policy ever could explain why it should be a crime. The treatment of drug addicts in this country is a crime.

That really isn't what this movie is about but that is one the many emotions it evoked in me and one the many reasons Half Nelson is such a terrific film.