Half Nelson (2006)

Directed by: Ryan Fleck | 106 minutes | drama | Actors: Ryan Gosling, Shareeka Epps, Anthony Mackie, Jeff Lima, Nathan Corbett, Tyra Kwao-Vovo, Rosemary Ledee, Tristan Wilds, Bryce Silver, Kaela C. Pabon, Erica Rivera, Stephanie Bast, Eleanor Hutchins, Sebastian Sozzi, Tina Holmes , Karen Chilton, Denis O’Hare

Dan is one of those single people in their thirties who lives in a not-quite-student apartment with his cat as a companion. Easy to imagine at a time when the number of single people in the big cities is increasing every year. The roles as our parents showed us offer virtually no support: Then you don’t need a large car or a single house, and he doesn’t need a permanent partner either. Or is it? When all those old certainties are called into question, what’s left? Wanting to change the world, “it has to be different”, but have no idea where to start. Dan is confused, he does not know it all anymore. Yet in his lessons he seems to be sure of his case. He does well there, but privately he sticks his head in the sand and pushes everyone away. Fortunately, not everyone is easily pushed away. This brings us to the second major character: Drey.

Her story is, among other things: what happens to you when you discover that your favorite teacher is addicted to crack? She stays fairly sober about it. She is mature for her age. Moreover, she continues to be impressed by her addicted, but kind teacher. And it just clicks between them, nice to see, believably portrayed, without fuss, a bit like ‘Lost in Translation’ (Sofia Coppola, 2003). The plot takes on multiple layers as the content of the history lessons becomes illustrative of the development of the story. Four layers: the lesson, the reality it tells about (the origin of the Civil Rights Movement) and the social reality in which the characters meet and their own personal developments. Historical benchmarks in the lesson set benchmarks in the story, as if a new chapter is being announced each time.

Beautiful images: parallel scenes with Dan’s environment and Drey’s, the ‘white’ world and the ‘black’ world, which of course are essentially the same. All this is supported with beautiful subdued music from ‘Broken Social-Scene’, used minimally, maximally used. Convincing performances by Ryan Gosling and the young Shareeka Epps make the film a penetrating and intimate portrait of two connected souls in a chilly environment, who learn an important lesson (especially Dan): your own misery is also your own choice. Well thought out yet subtle script by Ryan Flick and partner Anna Boden.

Although the ending is clear, the film leaves many questions open. And that’s nice, because the subject and context are important and interesting enough to talk about for a long time and perhaps to see the film a second or third time.