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Directed By
Ryan Fleck
Written By:
Ryan Fleck, Anna Boden
Cast:
Ryan Gosling, Anthony Mackie, Deborah Rush, Jay O. Sanders, Nicole Vicius, Tina Holmes, Shareeka Epps, Sebastian Sozzi, Monique Curnen, Collins Pennie, Eleanor Hutchins, Starla Benford, Denis O'Hare, Thaddeus Daniels, Stanton Davis, Ron C. Jones, Sharon Washington, Raymond Anthony Thomas, Stephanie Bast, Tristan Wilds, Leslie Eva Glaser, Karen Chilton, Jeff Lima, Nathan Corbett, Tyra Kwao-Vovo, Rosemary Ledee, Bryce Silver, Erica Rivera, Kitty, Deidre Goodwin, Susan Kerner, Christopher Williamson, Leslie Eva Glaser, David Easton, Katie Nehra, Steve Kursh, Matt Kerr, Kaela C. Pabon, Adepero Oduye
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Half Nelson (2006)
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Movie Review by Zara 
February 23rd, 2007
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Don't get me wrong...
Let me point out something very important. Ryan Gosling is fantastic in this. His acting is subtle and never goes into the over-the-top dramatics that usually go hand in hand with an actor playing a drug addict. While I doubt he'll actually do it, I'd love to see him Adrien Brody the f*ck out of the Oscars this year.
As a whole, however, this movie DRAGS. It's a story that isn't commonly told, that of a young white history teacher breaking the rules to teach urban black youth what their history books don't contain. But there isn't a huge catch to it. The character of the young girl from the basketball team he coaches is the only other bright shining spot in the film. I'd love to see her grow up and do some more acting in the future.
But much as I wasn't draw in by the depressing tale of alcoholism and suicidal depression in LEAVING LAS VEGAS, I just couldn't get behind a man who had so much potential and squandered it. He's supposed to be a likeable character down on his luck, but I found him to be a self-indulging a**hole who had no interest in raising his personal bar.
Doesn't mean I didn't think Gosling was outstanding. Sometimes the characters we like the least are the ones we remember the most. Such is the utter brilliance of his performance.
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 | Jenny
Feb 27, 2007 9:20 AM
also wrote a review of Half Nelson
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| I was going to post a review with the exact same thoughts. I loved his performance, but he was a prick. The story wasn't very creative, there's so much more they could have done. |
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