Half Nelson
December 4th, 2006
It was one thing to find this little indie gem and be surprised and charmed by it; to come back to it half a year later, when it’s been singled out for praise and awards, makes for a slightly different experience. I’m still blown away by Ryan Gosling and Shareeka Epps, but the storytelling doesn’t quite work as well the second time around. The seams start showing, and it all feels just a tad safe, familiar, and constructed. The performances definitely make it worth seeing once though.
Half Nelson. Ryan Fleck, 2006. ***
- Marcy’s review of Half Nelson
- Half Nelson on Rotten Tomatoes
- Official Site
- Half Nelson Photo Gallery
[tags]film, 3 stars, ryan fleck, drugs, ryan gosling, shareeka epps, kids, school, teachers, race[/tags]
Half Nelson
March 18th, 2006
It’s hard to teach inner city kids, so who’s to blame idealistic teacher Dan (Ryan Gosling) for the occasional coke binge? Well, maybe it’s not such a good idea to pass out in the girl’s bathroom at school after a few puffs on the crack pipe. Drey (Shareeka Epps), the girl who finds him, has her own set of problems. Very well written & performed indie flick–in fact, finally, again, a true indie flick, not “but it cost less than $20 million” Brokeback. Terrific double feature with Down to the Bone. Directed by Ryan Fleck.
