Skip to main content
Half Nelson Movie Poster
Plot, Details & Awards

Half Nelson

Rated R for drug content throughout, language and some sexuality.

R In Theaters 08/11/2006 , 107min.
Share this movie on

Plot & Details

An inner-city teacher struggling with addiction forms an unlikely bond with a young student who catches him in a compromising position in director Ryan Fleck's feature-length adaptation of his own award-winning short film Gowanus, Brooklyn. Despite his dedication to the junior-high students who fill his classroom, idealistic teacher Dan Dunne (Ryan Gosling) leads a secret life that the majority of his students will never know. When Dunne's drug-soaked nightlife begins to bleed over into his daytime hours and troubled student Drey (Shareeka Epps) makes a startling discovery, the tenuous bond that forms between the pair soon leads to a warm friendship that could either lead them down a dangerous path or provide the human companionship needed to see things from a fresh perspective and start life anew.
  • MPAA Rating: R
  • Genre(s): Drama
  • Run Time: 107min.
  • Theatrical Release Date: 08/11/2006
  • DVD Release Date: 02/13/2007
  • Distributor(s): ThinkFilm
  • Director(s): Ryan Fleck
  • Starring: Ryan Gosling , Shareeka Epps , Anthony Mackie , Tina Holmes , Jay O. Sanders
  • Themes: High School Life,Unlikely Friendships,Drug Addiction,Keeping a Secret,Teachers and Students
  • Tone: Forceful,Gritty,Intimate,Talky,Visceral
  • Keywords: drug-addiction,inner-city,middle-school,schoolteacher
  • Country of Origin: USA - Limited (08-11-2006)
  • Language: English

Awards

Academy Awards

Year Award CategoryCast & Crew Result
2006 Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Best Actor Ryan Gosling Nominated
Netflix - Try for Free

Instantly watch TV episodes and movies via the Internet on your computer or TV. 1 month FREE!

Stay Connected with Moviefone