Half Nelson Reviews

Half Nelson Rocks

Forget what you thought you knew about teacher-student films. (Dangerous Minds this aint). Half Nelson is an absorbing, moving and utterly compelling look at the complexities of being human. Ryan Gosling’s deserved Oscar-nomination for Best Actor for his performance here is bang on. He plays trouble History teacher Dan Dunne, who is happy to bin the rule books if it means actually communicating to his students. However his private and public life blur considerably when his taste for drink and drugs takes him into seriously dangerous ground. When 14 year-old student Drey (Shareeka Epps) finds him smoking crack in the school toilets, so begins a relationship that aims to throw up the sheer perplexity of life – nothing is ever black and white. Essential viewing.

Dull Dull Dull

A slow film about a crackhead teacher struggling to get through his classes and befriended by a pupil who discovers him smoking crack in the gym. Teacher tries to keep pupil away from teacher's crack dealer. I can't see what other people saw in this film to rate it highly. Very little story, no action and little dialogue. I nearly switched off after 15 minutes but stuck it out, I wish I hadn't bothered.

DEPRESSING

THIS FILM HAS DEPRESSED MY SATURDAY.

It is a slow film and really predictable and boring!

Dont waste any of your lifetime watching this film.

[Highly rated reviewer]

Brilliant!

Half Nelson, to be totally honest, does tend to drag you along because the theme and story definitely aren't gripping. In fact, here's the summary: A drug addict history teacher and a clever young black student develop a strong friendship and end up changing each other's lives. Sound boring? I thought so but the raving about Ryan Gosling and his Oscar nominated performance attracted me and plus I've got a lot of free time in my hands as well. By the way, he was brilliant for an actor of his experience and definitely deserved the nomination....but just the nomination since he really had no chance against Forest Whitaker (The Last King of Scotland). Anyway if you start watching the movie and you think 'Damn! This is too slow and the plot isn't going anywhere' don't give up just bear with it till the end and I guarantee you'll feel fully satisfied and that you've just watched a brilliant piece of art.

The message is another thing to rave about as well because the movie isn't only trying to tell the viewers that 'drugs are bad...especially if you're a teacher' but also you'll note that the main character (Ryan) has no racial distinction. And he feels that Blacks and Whites shouldn't be judged differently and it will probably make anyone who watches it feel the same way....or at least most of us (I really can't imagine a member of the KKK's view of black people alter in the slightest after watching it.) But the message is powerful and beautiful and I felt very good inside after watching it. My point here is that don't only expect an amazing performance but also an amazing movie in general.

[Highly rated reviewer]

Wonderful!

I adored this film.

This is the story of Dan Dunne, a young history teacher, devoted to teaching his kids about coping with the changes and patterns of life.

But whilst he is talking about change to them, he finds himself unable to change and move on himself. He seems to be stuck. He is a drug addict, still in love with his ex-girlfriend who has moved on.

He is friendless and pretty messed up.

One day, he gets found in the school toilets by a student of his, 13 year old Drey. She discovers his secret, and the two begin to form an unlikely friendship.

Its a story that could have easily become full of cliches and slid in to a really uncomfotable route, but is actually very beautiful and engaging.

Two brilliant performances from the leads, espcially Ryan Gosling, who managed to make Dan a loveable and attractive character despite all his flaws.

This film has its dark moments, and parts of it are heartbreakig. Yet its also very funny in parts and very touching.

This is a gem of a film-dont miss it!

[Highly rated reviewer]

AWFUL !

I was looking foward to seeing this film for a while,The storyline sounded interesting

and I enjoy the quirky films every now and again.

The film is amazingly slow,You dont care about any of the characters and has a local college drama production about it.

We all have different tastes but I would advise anyone if their keen to watch should wait for

for t.v showing

sooooo bad

crap, slow, boring, dull, snooze.

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Half Nelson

An unusual and somewhat slow paced story of Dan Dunne (Ryan Gosling) an inner city high school teacher who is a caring decent individual but who has sadly lost his way in life, and is hiding a serious crack habit. He despises the school cirriculum that has been provided,and favors an off the cuff unorthodox approach which the students seem to relish. He wants them to understand and appreciate history and any other subject rather than memorize it , but is desperately torn by his high ideals and the fact that he knows deep down his small contribution wont change the world. The crack helps him deal with his inner pain, and provides him with a crutch that allows him to limp through life.

However one of his students Drey (Shareeka Epps) catches him smoking crack after hours at school one day and an unlikely friendship begins. She too has her frustrations brought up in a single parent husehold she hardly sees her over worked mother and is ostensibly a latch door key kid.

Bright and astute she is under no illusions that it's not going to be enough to allow her to rise up and out of her largely black, hispanic and dirt poor neighbourhood.

Much like Dan she too has become hardened and self reliant,developing a cynical and sad view on life. And the two of them cling together in their sometimes meaningless world. It's a slow burner with a down beat feel, that said it packs a punch and is a fascinating watch with tip top perfomances from the two main characters

[Highly rated reviewer]

Boring

Yawn, my boyfriend, his brother and I had to turn it off after 45 minutes.

Nothing happens really it just drags on.

slow paced but worth it

Very impressed with the two leads' performances and the slow pace didn't bother me - I fell into the rythym of it. I loved that they left a lot of the back story for each character alone and let the audience fill in the gaps. I loved the relationship between the teacher and students and I loved the questions the film raised for me. Worth a watch definitely.