Review of Half Nelson

Half Nelson

Half Nelson is one of my favorite films of all time. It's not one of the stereotypical beloved teacher films. Also, Ryan Gosling who plays Dan the middle school history teacher with a harsh drug addiction, is totally hot. Dan wants to change the world, he wants to inspire his students to understand the meaning of opposing forces. Unfortunately his drug addiction has made him realize that he isn't going to be capable of changing the world the way he wanted to when he was in college. His drug addiction worsens as the film continues. As does the platonic relationship between Dan and his student Drey, who found Dan smoking crack in a locker room. Drey finds comfort in Dan, because she can relate to the idea of living in a harsh world.
I love how Drey's lollipops are used to connect to Dan and his drugs. The camera is very shaky, which gives the film a more realistic feel to it. The colors are beautiful as is the overall cinematography. Ryan Gosling does an extraordinary job at portraying Dan.

Posted on 01/31/08 by: lilard 01:10 PM