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      Half Nelson

      R Released Jan 23, 2006 1 hr. 46 min. Drama List
      91% 159 Reviews Tomatometer 82% 50,000+ Ratings Audience Score Dan Dunne (Ryan Gosling) is a history teacher at a Brooklyn school. Though well-liked by his students and colleagues, he secretly spends his evenings hopping bars and getting high. A female student named Drey (Shareeka Epps) catches him in a drug-induced haze after a basketball game, and the two strike up an unlikely friendship. As Dan struggles with his addiction, he tries to act as a mentor to the girl, whose brother is serving time for dealing drugs. Read More Read Less Watch on Peacock Stream Now

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      Half Nelson

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      Critics Consensus

      Half Nelson features powerful performances from Ryan Gosling and Shareeka Epps. It's a wise, unsentimental portrait of lonely people at the crossroads.

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      Audience Reviews

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      Patrick D 3.75. Is Gosling one of my favorite actors at this point? Guy has consistently delivered for years. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 03/25/24 Full Review Dionisis T We've all seen a movie solely because an actor is in it...to me this movie is just that thing with Ryan Gosling Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 01/23/24 Full Review Timothy D Half Nelson immediately sinks its way into your heart. It's mature and deep as it explores human weakness and the desire to do good. Gosling and Epps are a magical acting pair as they play each other's strengths with an older, struggling person trying to help and young, strong person. It's pure and sincere. The film ends openly, but the humanity it conveyed is a piece of indie film gold. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 12/03/23 Full Review Maz B Yes the acting is great and there are some popular actors in this, but I found myself scrolling through my phone. It wasn't what I expected. It was ok, but pretty boring. Rated 2 out of 5 stars 09/05/23 Full Review Alice B Excellent performances all round, but ..... Shareeka Epps, Ryan Gosling and Anthony Mackie are all brilliant in their roles. The characters didn't do what I expect them to, and by that I mean that they behaved in a way that real, unpredicatble, and complicated human beings do, rather than in the way that hollywood has taught us to expect characters to act. It wasn't predicable and formulaic. However, I am only giving 2.5 stars because I couldn't maintain any sympathy or continue to care about our main character Danny (Ryan Gosling) for the second half of the film, after he sexual assaults a woman he had been casually seeing. When she punches him and locks herself in her room he whines though the door to her that he forgives her and has no hard feelings. What the fuck. Perhaps it is realisitic and perhaps we are not meant to feel any compassion for Danny beyond this point but he never gets punished or shows any remorse for the behaviour, in fact we never see or hear from the woman again. So it feel more like its a bit of casual sexual violence that we aren't meant to put too much thought into. Disappointing. Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 08/07/23 Full Review Rebecca F Ryan Gosling was very believable as a teacher that connected with kids, especially a young female student who could turn easily to the streets or find a better life for herself. Although Gosling is a heavy drug user he is protective of the girl. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 07/26/23 Full Review Read all reviews Post a rating

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      Critics Reviews

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      Bob Mondello NPR.org Ryan Gosling's self-destructive teacher is easily the year's most mesmerizing character study. And he's hardly the only reason to see this film. Shareeka Epps anchors her scenes as Drey with a self-possession way beyond her years. Oct 18, 2008 Full Review Sandra Hall Sydney Morning Herald It's hardly a film which trumpets its virtues but that's part of the pleasure to be had from it. It doesn't know how good it is. Rated: 4/5 Apr 27, 2007 Full Review Tim Robey Daily Telegraph (UK) It's impressively adult, sure-footed filmmaking, and that Best Actor nod was definitely deserved. Apr 20, 2007 Full Review Jae-Ha Kim Jae-Ha Kim Bleakly filmed and well told, "Half Nelson" soars because of the immaculate acting by Ryan Gosling and Shareeka Epps. Gosling's both alluring and pitiful as an addict, while Epps hits all the right notes as a child who's seen too much hardship. Rated: 3/4 Jul 26, 2023 Full Review Kathy Fennessy Seattle Film Blog ...the final scene is so lovely--so subtle, yet funny--that it makes up for any missteps that have come before it. Rated: 4/4 Sep 16, 2021 Full Review PJ Nabarro Patrick Nabarro The more interesting aspects of the film come in its less pre-determined margins. And maybe the drama is highly strategised, but the acting is real and genuine. Rated: 3/5 Mar 22, 2021 Full Review Read all reviews

      Movie Info

      Synopsis Dan Dunne (Ryan Gosling) is a history teacher at a Brooklyn school. Though well-liked by his students and colleagues, he secretly spends his evenings hopping bars and getting high. A female student named Drey (Shareeka Epps) catches him in a drug-induced haze after a basketball game, and the two strike up an unlikely friendship. As Dan struggles with his addiction, he tries to act as a mentor to the girl, whose brother is serving time for dealing drugs.
      Director
      Ryan Fleck
      Screenwriter
      Ryan Fleck, Anna Boden
      Production Co
      Journeyman Pictures
      Rating
      R (Language|Drug Content Throughout|Some Sexuality)
      Genre
      Drama
      Original Language
      English
      Release Date (Theaters)
      Jan 23, 2006, Original
      Rerelease Date (Theaters)
      Aug 11, 2006
      Release Date (Streaming)
      Feb 15, 2016
      Box Office (Gross USA)
      $2.7M
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