Half Nelson

Half Nelson Photos

View All Photos

Cast & Crew

Ryan Gosling
Dan Dunne

Shareeka Epps
Drey

Anthony Mackie
Frank

Deborah Rush
Jo

Jay O. Sanders
Russ

Nicole Vicius
Cindy

Denis O'Hare
Jimbo

Monique Curnen
Isabel

Starla Benford
Principal Henderson

Tina Holmes
Rachel

Karen Chilton
Karen

Collins Pennie
Mike

Ryan Fleck
Director

Ryan Fleck
Writer

Anna Boden
Writer

Anna Boden
Producer

Lynette Howell Taylor
Producer

Rosanne Korenberg
Producer

Alex Orlovsky
Producer

Jamie Patricof
Producer

Show all Cast & Crew

News & Interviews for Half Nelson

Watch Online: Beauty and the Beast, American Vandal, The Lost City of Z, and More on Netflix and Amazon Prime

Ryan Gosling’s 10 Best Movies

Ryan Gosling Signs On to Peter Jackson’s "Lovely Bones"

---

View All

Audience Reviews for Half Nelson

• Oct 04, 2013

  Gosling truly emerges as a great actor in this film. He is the flawed teacher who continues to intrigue us with those flaws which lead to unpredictable actions. A great character sketch.
  

  Super Reviewer
• Jun 22, 2013

  A no easy answer character study, Half Nelson is moved by brilliant performances by Gosling and Epps that, surprisingly, don't work for having an interesting arc but rather by making us feel unconfortable on by being put onto their daily routines, addictions and issues. Not having happy endings or many glimpses of hope is the biggest selling point of the flick, which won't be the cup of tea for many viewers but it worked for me. Worth a shot if you're into grittier indie dramas.
  Super Reviewer
• Apr 27, 2013

  Half Nelson has a very good story with some great performances, especially from the always-incredible Ryan Gosling. It's about a schoolteacher who teaches poor kids in a city slum, and the teacher (played by Ryan Gosling) happens to be a crack addict. He develops a relationship with one of his students who gets herself involved with things Dan Dunne (the teacher) would rather her not get involved in. Eventually, their secret lives collide, and it's an amazing thing to see, topped by a nicely fitting soundtrack. The film is very discrete in the way it unfolds the truths about each of it's characters, but it managed to keep me interested all the way through thanks to Gosling's great performance. There's also a lot of deep and valuable meaning hidden underneath Mr. Dunne's teachings, and also in the very last scene. Overall, Half Nelson is a very well-written and wonderfully-acted movie. Final Score: 8.5.
  

  Super Reviewer
• Jan 19, 2013

  An emotional drama with a great performance by Ryan Gosling, Half Nelson didn't engage me quite as well as I expected it to, but it's still a good movie. The movie didn't seem to have much going on in it; it moved at a snail's pace, which is understandable to a certain degree, but even in a drama like this I expect the plot to move forward at a reasonable rate. Nonetheless, Half Nelson does have a number of good performances and a good script, and it's still a well-made movie, but it might not completely hold your interest during the slower portions.
  

  Joey S Super Reviewer