Wednesday, September 5, 2007

Movie of the Month - Half Nelson

Its September, people of all ages are getting ready to go back to school and what more appropriate way of displaying Septembers Movie of the Month. Most school centered films, whether is high school or college all seem to have the same situation in common. They all seem to boast the idea of some teacher coming to a bad district or teaching bratty kids and changing their life around. With that said, take everything you know about a school centered film and throw it out the window and view Half Nelson. Directed by an unknown, Ryan Fleck and starring Ryan Gosling in the role the garnered him a Oscar Nomination, Half Nelson tells the story of a Brooklyn high school history teacher and woman's basketball coach, Dan Dunne, who has a serious addiction to crack. Gosling plays the crack addicted teacher who after a basketball game, he is found laying on the floor of the girls locker room after smoking a heavy amount of the addictive drug. Who he is found by, Drey, played by the brilliant Shareeka Epps (in her first film role), would change the course not only of his life but Drey's as well. Drey and Dan would build a bond of secrets and sometimes lies, where the both of them need each other more than ever. One of the most powerful films of last year and one that will leave you surprised and uncomfortable. In many ways Half Nelson is the anti-school centered film and focuses more on life and the issues of that nothing is what it seems, backed by a great soundtrack from the band Broken Social Scene, Half Nelson is a must see. .