Half Nelson (2006)

The Cast/Crew:

Directed by Ryan Fleck
Written by Ryan Fleck and Anna Boden
Starring: Ryan Gosling (Dan Dunne) and Shareeka Epps (Drey)

The Basic Synopsis:

Ryan Gosling is a teacher at a mostly black middle school. He coaches the girl's basketball team as well. He does drugs in his spare time (he just got out of rehab) and after a tough game that his team lost miserably, he decides to smoke a bit in the girls locker room. After asking if anyone is in there, he crawls into the stall and starts smoking. Drey (Epps) walks in and sees him smoking. Little do we know that Drey is related to the drug dealer who supplies Coach Dunne with his drugs. Coach Dunne tries to be a good role model for Drey, but that one encounter gets in the way. They slowly develop a strange relationship (as friends) that some people don't approve of.

How It Turned Out:

A nearly flawless film. What I loved about it (this is kind of a stupid thing to like about a film) is that there was a shot that I am certain was taken from a Norman Rockwell painting. You have all seen it; a little boy talking to a policeman and there is a satchel on the floor that belongs to the boy. All of this is shown from the back. This happens with Drey and one of her relatives. I am very uncertain about the intentions of this. Perhaps it's to show that Drey exists everywhere; that you've seen her before without knowing it. Perhaps it's to say that Drey should run away but she doesn't have a policeman to get help from. Anything is possible with this film.

What I also loved about it:

It reminds me of a Davil Lynch film because we don't really know what it symbolizes, it's all over the place and it's a lot of fun in a very sadistic way.

The best part about it:

Epps and Gosling take you into their worlds and they don't let you leave it. Gosling plays the perfect slightly creepy, all-too-realistic-teacher. Epps plays an ordinary girl who doesn't even have a last name and is never awkward in the scenes with Gosling. I don't believe she did anything huge before this, but she definitely will in the future.

A Word About the Critics:

Many critics came down very hard on how the relationship between Coach Dunne and Drey is unrealistic. As a highscool student myself, I can truly say that relationships like this (and some much more more intimate) exist.

The Bottom Line:

Flawless Directing. Nearly flawless script. Flawless acting. Nearly flawless film. 4/4 Stars