How Can One Empathize With An Addict Teacher Who Has An Inappropriate Teacher/Student Relationship?
That is the question that this movie asks. Ryan Fleck and Anna Boden provide us with a script that does exactly that. The writers somehow manage to create empathy between the audience and teacher Dan Dunne (Ryan Gosling) in spite of his many short-comings. I think his character had a scary believability that causes one to challenge presuppositions regarding people in positions of authority. Dan Dunne is an odd character who is at times an aloof bastard and at other times a compassionate mentor. It is a delicate balancing act that ventures into a touchy realm. The deft writing provides us insight into addiction….the extent to which addiction has infiltrated our society and the depths to which it can drag you. I missed Half Nelson when it was in the theaters in 2006. I enjoy Ryan Gosling, which was the biggest draw for me to see this film. I was not familiar with the subject matter of this film prior to watching it. The title suggested a film about wrestling (or if you are street savvy
