Review of Half Nelson (1985) by Julien B — 16 Jan 2010
"The only constant is change.".
Half Nelson is a movie about change, or lack thereof. It tells the story of Dan, a high school history teacher with a crack/cocaine habit, and his struggle with life. His struggle with people around him, people he cannot reach, people that just don't understand him and his somewhat strange teaching methods. But then, Dan bonds with one of his students, Drey, a relationship that goes beyond the usual student/teacher bond, and for that matter, further than most relationships ever go.
Ryan Gosling's portrayal of Dan left me speechless. I am still too shaken off to put actual words on his performance. Let's just hope his talent is put to good use in the future, because he surely deserves to work with the best screenwriters and film directors.
Shareeka Epps' acting -an excellent job matching up Gosling- also surprises. And overall cinematography is good. The plot itself is not relevant, and should rather be seen as an excuse to introspect into the main characters deep personality.
Must see. 4.
This review of Half Nelson (1985) was written by Julien B on 16 Jan 2010.
Half Nelson has generally received very positive reviews.
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