Posted by
Emmett of the Unblinking Eye on Wednesday, September 06, 2006 1:20:52 PM
The small, independent film "
Half Nelson" is sneaking its way around the country, from art house to art house. If you're in the mood for a slightly depressing but extremely well-acted character drama, "Half Nelson" is worth a look.
Ryan Gosling, late of "
Remember the Titans", "
The Notebook" and "
The United States of Leland" plays Dan Dunne, a junior high school history teacher in Brooklyn and girl's volleyball coach with a severe drug problem that is slowly but inexorably ruining what little life he has. When one of his players, Drey, wonderfully played by
Shareeka Epps, discovers his secret, a marvelous dance ensues in which Dunne feels obligated to cater to Drey, while Drey looks to him for salvation from her own perilous situation. For Drey is on the edge -- she can continue with school and the legitimate path her mother (Karen Chilton) hopes for, or start dealing drugs as her brother's friend Frank (Anthony Mackie) hopes for, and wind up in jail like her brother Mike (Collins Pennie). Dunne and Drey are going to push each other up or down -- but which way? The movie never quite resolves that issue, but at least you leave the theater with hope. Which is a lot more than Dunne had at the beginning of the movie.
Ryan Gosling, one of the finest young actors around, is absolutely wonderful as Dunne, as is Epps as Drey. There is not one false note in the film. Unfortunately, this is the first significant directorial effort by one of its writers, Ryan Fleck, and it shows. Too many closeups for no particular reason of things that we don't need to see closeup. But if you are in to cinema, and want to see actors on the rise, see "Half Nelson". It's much better than a lot of the !@#$ out there.