Review of Half Nelson (2006) by Chads. — 05 Mar 2007
"Half Nelson" pisses all over the film tradition in which a white teacher saves black people from themselves in the inner-city. Like "Something New", this is something new, something truly iconoclastic.
As Mr. Dunne(Ryan Gosling) teaches his students about dialectics, so do the filmmakers for its viewers. Late in the film, this lesson becomes very pronounced in the editing; the concept of dialectics becomes a part of the film's language.
But "Half-Nelson" isn't a success because its makers probably majored in English("Half-Nelson['s]" theme is not dissimilar to Joseph Conrad's "Heart of Darkness").
This wonderful film has a heart in the best sense; it's humane. "Half-Nelson" is a correction to how the American cinema has often portrayed race; the revelation of this film is that white people need black people, too.
There's no caste system in "Half Nelson". Try watching a film like "Dangerous Minds" now. Michelle Pfeiffer is too perfect; there's an unattended condescencion that creeps into her good intentions.
The scene in which Dan goes to confront Frank is amazing. It's a scene we're so familiar with, but in the hands of filmmakers who know what dialectics is; everything old is new again. "Half Nelson" is one heady film, a triumph.
This review of Half Nelson (2006) was written by Chads. on 05 Mar 2007.
Half Nelson has generally received very positive reviews.
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