I read a comment by Ryan Fleck, the Director of the Indie film, “Half Nelson”, that after the success of “Snakes on a Plane” he thought that maybe “Crack in the Classroom” may have been a more descriptive title for his film. I agree, as when I heard the title, I wasn’t sure what I was in for, all I knew was that the film had been a favourite of the critics gaining many nominations and award for its Director and an Oscar nomination for its star Ryan Gosling.
Half Nelson is the story of Dan Dunne (Ryan Gosling) a history teacher in Brooklyn. His students are from underprivileged backgrounds, but this story is no “to Sir with Love” or “Dangerous Minds”. It’s not chessy and it doesn’t end with a “…. so if you try hard and you believe in yourself can too can make it” kinda movie. This is about friendship, support and the pain of life that isn’t quite what you imagined and how you cope and live with that reality.
Dunne’ unorthodox approach to teaching history inspires his class as he delivers with passion, the importance of understanding history, rather than just memorizing it. He specialty is dialectics - the tensions between two opposing forces. As an idealistic college student he dreamed of changing the world but he is faced with the desperate realisation that he can’t, he and has turned to drugs as a way to ease his pain and this addictive crutch bears an increasingly heavy load.
The film focuses on Dunne and his relationship with Drey (Shareeka Epps), a 13-year-old student of his who catches him in the bathroom smoking crack. Drey forms an unlikely friendship with Dunne as she understands his frustrations with life; as she has mother who is struggling to make ends meet, a brother in jail and though self reliant, she has a maturity that has been forged through hardship.
What is a half nelson anyway? The title refers to a wrestling hold in which one arm is passed under the opponent’s arm from behind to the back of the neck. I’m not a big wrestling fan but I think it is meant to symbolise that whilst we may wish things were different, we cannot control all aspects so the film is about life and struggle and pain. According to IMDB, the film was originally made as a 19 minute short film Gowanus, Brooklyn (2004). Shareeka Epps reprises her role as Drey and she is one of the main reasons to check out this film. She is an a quite, unassuming talent and a perfect compliment to Ryan Goslings brooding Dunne. Ryan Gosling is superb as Dunne and is building a reputation as a serious actor and rare talent. I loved this movie’s edge and the fact that it didn’t have a cliched ending.
Half Nelson (2006)
Director: Ryan Fleck
Writers: Ryan Fleck and Anna Boden
Rating: 4 Stars
