Whilst undeniably in touch with the life of inner-city schools, and boasting an excellent performance by Ryan Gosling, Half Nelson still feels like a lesser sum of greater parts.
Revolving around Gosling's Daniel Dunne, Half Nelson follows his life as he balances teaching a group of high school students and a drug addiction. Dunne is a troubled man; he is depressed, sad and lonely but manages to hide this behind his passion for history and his love of trying to help his students He is also a man who struggles to understand why he is so disconnected from the man he wants to be. It's a complex character study, and it required someone with Ryan Gosling's talents to pull off. Gosling is sublime, finding nuances and subtle details in Dunne's character which help the audience connect with him on his dark and troubling journey.
