Review of Half Nelson (2006) by Zane U — 25 Jun 2012
A strange combination, this was a heartbreaking and charming film. Gosling is great as a drug addict teacher who has his good days and his bad days, while struggling to be a role model for his inner city students.
I found the motif of jokes to be super-fascinating and puzzling. They always seemed to pop up when Gosling (as Dan Dunn) is acting cool in a basic social situation that is for some reason uncomfortable for him (family interaction, hanging out with a romantic interest, etc).
That his drug addiction does not make him uncomfortable in the classroom, where he is a fantastic teacher, or when confronting drug dealers, speaks to the complexity of the film's perfectly flawed character.
This review of Half Nelson (2006) was written by Zane U on 25 Jun 2012.
Half Nelson has generally received very positive reviews.
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