Half Nelson

It’s a self-destructive white boy living in a prominently black neighborhood, where broken families, drugs and other dirty things reign supreme. Included are scenes where characters become overwhelmed with emotion as melancholy melodies play in the background (the kind associated with pretentious arthouse films that are full of panoramic shots that seem more pretty than they are meaningful), and you have what seems to be a cheap, obvious attempt at poignancy-there are many parts of the film that tries hard to invoke sympathy or compassion but fail, and in failing they mostly come off as empty, unfeeling and dishonest. Some parts are incoherent and seem almost exploitative because they exist solely to try make us feel-one dimensional characters with problems that supposedly humanizes them, short history films about racial prejudice and other touchy topics are played to an unknowing class of innocent adolescents (who accordingly respond with confusion and ignorance), a depressed man surrounded by his oblivious, jovial family members who proceed to play happy songs and drink wine. However the film’s emphasis remains fixed on bigger things- moreover, the writers have refrained from making drug addiction the focus, instead here it’s a background for the film’s larger story. Half Nelson has two things that significantly shine-Ryan Gosling’s empathetic performance as an absent-minded junkie, and the portrayal of his unlikely friendship with a young, precocious student elevates this otherwise mediocre film to a somewhat engrossing story. There are other films that venture the teacher-student, adult-teenager, black-white (both literal & figurative) relationship but they are often written in a condescending manner that strives to educate us with superfluous moral lessons (about overcoming differences and all that jazz), Half Nelson doesn’t try to teach, it’s telling a compelling story about how all of us yearn to love and be loved, and how this need drives our perseverance-earning an unusually high rating of 91% on RT, Half Nelson lacks subtlety and starts on uneven footing (that gradually corrects its way to a remarkable ending) but it features a solid story at its core, two genuinely heartbreaking characters and it is here that Gosling establishes himself as one of the best young actors around.

*Oscar nominees announced few hours ago-Ryan Gosling gets a nod in the Best Actor category for his work in Half Nelson (he wasn’t even nominated for a Golden Globe), where a deserving Will Smith also stands. Very few shockers, but what surprised me most was that Little Miss Sunshine’s nominated for Best Picture, and even more unbelievable (in a very, very good context) is Abigail Breslin’s nomination in the Best Supporting Actress category. I have very little faith with Little Miss Sunshine winning any trophy (seeing how the awful Crash won Best Picture last year, I’d say the voters are alcoholics or retarded-plus the other contenders are too hard to beat), but I’m keeping my fingers crossed anyways.