Half Nelson (2007)
Strong Drug Use and Themes
| Director: | Ryan Fleck |
| Actors: | Ryan Gosling, Shareeka Epps, Anthony Mackie, Monique Curnen, Karen Chilton |
Ryan Gosling stars in his Academy Award nominated performance as a brilliant high school teacher who forms an unlikely friendship with a student who catches him in a compromising position. Nominated for the Grand Jury Prize at the 2006 Sundance Film Festival and Winner of 2 Independent Spirit Awards (2006), HALF NELSON is a gritty, deeply affecting experience in the tradition of films like FREEDOM WRITERS and DANGEROUS MINDS.
| Status: | QuickPick |
|---|---|
| Run time: | 106mins |
| Origin: | UNITED STATES |
| Aspect Ratio: | 16:9 |
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Member Reviews (62)
62 Member
Reviews
Angellen
says
Awful...................
Anna K
says
I really feel that Ryan Gosling is able to nail the nuances of characters in a way no one else can. The screenplay is also such a true-to-life story of addiction and the difficulties in staying clean and organised. It had some really beautiful moments and was a really wonderful film.
Lisa
says
Good movie. Great cast. Slow moving, glad I stayed with it. Not everyone's cup of tea.
NJK
says
Ryan Gosling is a great actor and it shows in this movie, but we found it to be an ultimately pointless and unsatisfying film that doesn't really entertain and doesn't really go anywhere.
Nicole
says
If you are a fan of Ryan Gosling star of the Notebook then you may appreciate him playing a very different role in a different kinda of film. This is worth watching if you like to get away from the repeative hollywood style of movie. Superb acting.
mcfrood
says
I am a person that doesn't mind slow dramas - if they are good. This was like mental molasses - except not sweet, just bland. The characters were stunted, the script uninspiring. I can't say that the acting was good nor bad - there wasn't much for them to work with here. I have to admit to giving up about 1:10 into this. My wife persisted - but revealed the next day she wished she had bailed like me. I think very rarely can American writers and directors nail real life drama. The characters are, as in this case, to two dimensional and are simply not real enough.
Jessica B.
says
The blurb likens this movie to Freedom Writers and Dangerous Minds. True, except this movie sits in the uncomfortable tension of unresolved questions, rather than racing in with a paternalistic solution. Yeah, there wasn't a lot of action and it moved a little slowly but overall a worthwhile film.
Bron
says
Unusual drama, won't be everyone's cup of tea. I was really anticipating this movie - love Ryan Gosling
Ann B.
says
Enjoyed this film realistic and thought provoking
Kimberley R.
says
I felt this was just another same old same old movie. I didn't even bother watching it until the end as I thought it was pretty boring. Acting well - it was passable but nothing terrific.
Louiza
says
i thought this was interesting and deep
Trish
says
Everyone has something to contribute, despite their vices. Questions how much the path we choose is actually our choice.
Miriam
says
This movie was boring and i felt that it went nowhere..extremely slowly. I nearly turned it off quite a few times, but sat through it none the less.
Robert G.
says
this movie was like root canal therapy , painful and too long. Should have known - Academy Award usually means rubbish. Great for manic depressants and those who are walking 4ft above the ground......
Robert I.
says
Pretty ordinary movie. Skipped to the end to get it over with.
Alistair
says
Excellent acting and nice little story. Enjoyed the twist of the fairly earnest black kids and the hopeless white teacher. Worth watching although The History Boys is better. This teacher is too hopeless to take seriously.
stimpy
says
There was nothing in this film for me!
Brian M.
says
Extremely disappointing movie. Slow, difficult to understand a lot of the dialogue, depressing and, for me, pretty uninteresting. Only one star.
Daniel J.
says
I thought the performance of tRyan Gosling was superb however this movie did leave me flat on more than one occasion. But overall, definitely worth watching
Karen T.
says
Incoherent movie upheld by good direction and excellent acting. Ryan Gosling is brilliant as always, and the supporting cast surprisingly good, but the story is very thin, and morally dubious.
John S.
says
Never seemed to quite decide where it was going. The acting was excellent but the plot was thin and to my mind undeveloped.
Sean D.
says
This movie never really got going. Gosling is brilliant as usual and so are the young actors but it seemed a pointless story with no decisive ending.
Colin Y.
says
Way sloooowww. Meandering and depressing. When the movie finally got to it's core theme, you weren't shocked, because by then you couldn't care less. This one is only for the artsy folk.
Nigel W.
says
Movies about self-obessed drug users are popular subjects for movies these days, probably because they have instant dramatic effect. This movie attempts to go deeper by adding issues such as civil rights, politics etc. but in end there is no connect in that the links between these issues and the lead character's current condition are extremely vague. In the end you don't care.
Janet W.
says
I don't ever remember my teachers being like Goslings character. I'm surprised he kept his job looking like something the cat dragged in - and the drug taking really impressive - not. His double standards were pathetic. He was more or less saying to the young student that it was ok to take drugs, but not to hang out with a drug dealer. I was unimpressed with this character. For someone who was a teacher he didn't even bother to hide his loser lifestyle from the students.
Sandy J.
says
great movie, great acting. The kids were great in this. There was a good build of tension.
Kym S.
says
Thought this movie was a complete waste of time!!!! Very fractured, and couldn't always understand what they were saying due to mumbling dialogue. Would have to be one of the worst movies I've seen.....
Belinda P.
says
Didn't "do it" fr me...watched it because of the rave reviews but it left me unimpressed
Marija P.
says
I liked the movie, but had wished there was more interaction between the teacher and student. The young student was fantastic...really impressive. Certainly one movie that left me thinking about it for days.
Colin L.
says
Enjoyed this movie, a bit sad and the ending left you saying hmmm.
Trish D.
says
Thought provoking in the way that at the end of the day they both could ultimately enable each other into their personal demise..Or enable each other into their personal positive direction.
Terence B.
says
Rebecca W.
says
Original, unpredictable and superb performances from the two leading actors
Col D.
says
For the most part a boring movie. It seems to go nowhere.
Lisa B.
says
Ryan Gosling delivers a brilliant performance as a crack addicted school teacher. He passionately teaches his students about the value of change, yet he is reluctant and unwilling to change himself.
Elspeth N.
says
An interesting movie, though a little bleak. Not what I was expecting but worth a look.
Kathryn L.
says
Frances A.
says
Excellent
Barbara Jane C.
says
an interesting movie about a somewhat torubled young teacher - some ambiguiity in the story line however well acted.
Edward M.
says
Super boring.
1 star for Ryan Goslings' performance only.
Kelly B.
says
Gerry V.
says
all in all, pretty depressing story about drugs
John K.
says
Very good,Gosling doesn't dissapoint.
Katie W.
says
Watched the first 20 minutes and couldn't wait to turn it off. I was completely not interested. I don't know if it got any better but I don't really care either.
Louise B.
says
I enjoyed this movie but my boyfriend hated it. He claims that I only liked it because it starred Ryan Gosling. That may partly be true. Nonetheless, it was a good story and thought-provoking, even though in some ways I feel like I've seen movies like this before.
Jacqui G.
says
Too slow... Way too slow!
Not to mention it's been done before.
Mark S.
says
I really enjoyed this movie.
Superb acting, especially from Ryan Gosling and the young girl in the supporting role.
A very different movie from Hollywood - not you usual run of the mill fare, for which I was more than happy.
A bit arty - good for a bit of a discussion afterwards to work out what the movie was actually all about. A strange, sudden, open ending - but perhaps that was intended.
Marg O.
says
Didn't hold my interest at all.
Julie R.
says
************BORING***************
Missy M.
says
I couldn't watch it all. Well acted but boring.
Yvonne C.
says
Laurence D.
says
Emma D.
says
although largely depressing, a refreshing change rather than a happy ending.
Good script and intelligently acted.
Okto F.
says
Worth Watching - a bit over rated I think.
Ant F.
says
Really enjoyable. Brilliantly acted by both lead roles.
Jasper L.
says
Tedious, just tedious
Jennifer M.
says
Engaging film about an unlikely student teacher relationship. Ryan Gosling is excellent as the teacher.
Kathleen M.
says
I must say that I hated the movies end. The acting was good but a real waste of my time.
JB
says
Fabienne E.
says
This movies is only good for Ryan Gosling fans, otherwise it was non-interesting.
Andrew H.
says
I really enjoyed this movie, mainly beause of the excellent performances, lead by a superb Ryan Gosling. So believable. I don't usually notice the direction either, but I found the way it was shot was really well done.
Kevin D.
says
Disappointing - despite all the rave reviews - wanted to see it due to more rave reviews for 'Fracture' with Gosling and Hopkins - hope not to be disappointed with that.