HALF NELSON (2006) dir. Ryan Fleck & Anna Boden

In the sport of wrestling a “half nelson” hold applies opposite force on the back of the head and front of the shoulder thereby rolling your opponent in the opposite direction. In the film HALF NELSON a drug addicted history teacher, Dan Dunne (Ryan Gosling), lectures his students defining history as the measure of change over time. He then goes on to describe change as two opposites pushing against each other eventually producing said change. In every capacity of their relationship whether it be teacher/student, dealer/junkie, coach/player, black/white, young/old, Mr. Dunne and his favorite student Drey (Shareeka Epps) are opposites, so in theory their relationship should manufacture a change.

The most readily apparent relationship shared by Dunne and Drey exists within the confines of teacher/student. That changes when Drey finds her hip, unconventional teacher huddled in a bathroom stall cradling a crack pipe altering the relationship and forcing Mr. Dunne to deal with Drey in a more direct manner. He quickly learns that she lives in a less than ideal situation (as do most of his students one would imagine) and he does some superficial favors (like driving her home) to keep her quiet about his addiction. During their extracurricular time together they have little chats and naturally bond eventually forms. At this point Dunne’s recreational drug use doesn’t affect his job, in fact he’s the most likable and composed junkie in the history of cinema. As the film meanders (for the first 50 minutes) in what is ostensibly the education genre, I grow bored awaiting the obvious. Despite the connotations of the laborious first two thirds, this isn't STAND AND DELIVER, BLACKBOARD JUNGLE, or even DANGEROUS MINDS, their relationship evolves into something far more personal, academic achievement never factors into the equation. Finally, Dunne loses control of his habit thereby straining his newly formed bond with Drey. It’s at this point that I realize that this isn’t a story about a teacher and a student, but rather of two friends in an unlikely situation riddled with restraints. Despite the social barriers they are friends desperately in need of the sobering affect they have on one another. The film ends, and this is its genius, with them coming to this realization. It doesn’t drag on to show us what happens later. Does Dunne clean up? We hope so, but we’re never quite sure.

Visually the film doesn’t offer much, featuring your typical shaky camera and jump cuts that seem to be a prerequisite for stories with an urban setting. The real prize lies in the story which sneaks up on you and packs more of a punch than you’d ever expect from the outset. The slower moments of the film are saved by the performances of our two leads. Ryan Gosling in particular has garnered ample praise for his role as the afflicted educator. While the accolades aren’t entirely unjust I can’t help but wonder how much of it stems from performance/charisma confusion. Charisma is an essential aspect of the role, but Gosling tends to make it the role leaving us with a relatively one dimensional performance. The true magic comes from Shareeka Epps as the jaded street-wise student. She manages to relay vast emotional information with a simple look, shift of the eyes, or smile. It’s her quest for virtue that gives the film its emotional depth. You should expect to see more from her in the future.