Half Nelson (2006): Cast, Ratings, Box Office & Plot
Half Nelson is a 2006 drama directed by Ryan Fleck, starring Ryan Gosling and Shareeka Epps. It runs 1 hour 46 minutes and earned $4.7 million worldwide. It won 2 awards from 10 nominations, one of them 1 Oscar nomination. Critics gave it 91% on Rotten Tomatoes and 85 on Metacritic, and IMDb users rate it 7.1/10.
- Released
- Runtime
- 1h 46m (106 min)
- Director
- Ryan Fleck
- Genre
- Drama
- Original language
-
English - Studio
- THINKFilm
- After the credits
- No No extra scene
What Is Half Nelson About?
The premise of Half Nelson without spoilers. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.
A history teacher's personal struggles are revealed when a perceptive student uncovers his double life as a substance abuser. As Dan Dunne and Drey form an unexpected bond, they find themselves confronting parallel issues: Dan's addiction and Drey's difficult family situation, complicated by her brother's imprisonment. The film explores themes of friendship, responsibility, and the challenges of adolescence in a raw and intimate portrayal.
Half Nelson Themes & Keywords
· 50 tags- student
- classroom
- class
- teacher
- borderline personality disorder
- watching tv
- substance abuse
- engagement ring
- split lip
- girl's locker room
- nose bleed
- school field trip
+38 more Show fewer
- pet cat
- drug euphemism
- sexual assault
- cocaine use
- drinking coffee
- drug delivery
- recreational drug use
- debt collector
- father son estrangement
- telling a joke
- racist man
- aspiring writer
- academia drama
- 8th grade
- school
- reference to augusto pinochet
- reference to a coup d'etat
- emt emergency medical technician
- liberalism
- man wears jockey shorts
- bearded man
- dialectics
- drug habit
- inner city
- friendship
- basketball
- junior high school
- girls' basketball
- arm wrestling
- secret
- stoned
- basketball team
- history teacher
- single mother
- inspiration
- new york city
- vietnam war veteran
- based on short film
Half Nelson Cast
Ryan Gosling leads the cast, with Shareeka Epps. Directed by Ryan Fleck.
-
Director Ryan Fleck
More from Ryan Fleck
More films directed by Ryan Fleck, best-rated first: Sugar, Mississippi Grind, Freaky Tales and It's Kind of a Funny Story.
Half Nelson Reviews & Ratings
Critics gave Half Nelson 91% on Rotten Tomatoes and 85 on Metacritic, and IMDb users rate it 7.1/10.
-
IMDb 7.1 /10
See on IMDb -
Rotten Tomatoes 91% Tomatometer
Popcornmeter 82%
See on Rotten Tomatoes -
Metacritic 85 Metascore
User score 7.2
See on Metacritic -
TMDB 66% User score
See on TMDB
Half Nelson Plot Summary
What happens in Half Nelson from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 14 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 2-minute read.
Spoilers ahead
Dan Dunne, a young high school educator portrayed by Ryan Gosling, grapples with the disparity between his lofty ideals and the harsh realities of urban life. Each day, he enters his rundown Brooklyn classroom with an unwavering passion, seeking to ignite a spark in his 13 and 14-year-old students as they explore significant topics like civil rights and the civil war. Eschewing the traditional curriculum, Dan opts for a more provocative teaching style, empowering his students to understand the mechanisms of change, both in history and within themselves.
Full summary
The whole story of Half Nelson, scene by scene
Half Nelson Box Office
Half Nelson grossed $4.7 million worldwide. $2.7 million came from the US and Canada and $2 million (42%) from the rest of the world.
Worldwide gross
$4.7M
- US & Canada
- $2.7M
- International
- $2M
Half Nelson Awards & Nominations
Half Nelson won 2 awards from 10 nominations, one of them 1 Oscar nomination. Its biggest night was the Spirit Awards 2007, with 2 wins from 6 nominations.
2 wins10 nominations4 ceremonies
-
Spirit Awards 2007 2 wins · 6 nominations- Won Best Female Lead – Shareeka Epps
- Won Best Male Lead – Ryan Gosling
- Nominated Best Director – Ryan Fleck
- Nominated Best Feature
- Nominated Best First Screenplay
-
Critics' Choice 2007 2 nominations- Nominated Best Actor – Ryan Gosling
- Nominated Best Young Actress – Shareeka Epps
-
Actor Awards (SAG) 2007 1 nomination- Nominated Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role – Ryan Gosling
-
Oscars 2007 1 nomination- Nominated Actor in a Leading Role – Ryan Gosling
Half Nelson Trailers & Videos
2 videos: 1 trailer and 1 featurette.
- Featurette Ryan Fleck & Anna Boden on "Half Nelson"
How Well Do You Know Half Nelson?
10 questions about the story, each with a hint if you get stuck. Pick an answer to see whether you were right.
Question 1 of 10
- Question 1: not answered
- Question 2: not answered
- Question 3: not answered
- Question 4: not answered
- Question 5: not answered
- Question 6: not answered
- Question 7: not answered
- Question 8: not answered
- Question 9: not answered
- Question 10: not answered
What is the name of the character played by Ryan Gosling?
Cars in Half Nelson
32 cars on screen, including the 1995 Ford Escort and the 2002 GMC Yukon Denali.
-
1995 Ford Escort Main role -
2002 GMC Yukon Denali Important role -
1996 Audi A4 B5 Background role -
1997 BMW 5 E39 Background role
Half Nelson Also Known As
18 alternative titles, including “我的左派老師” and “Полу Нельсон”.
- Also known as
-
- 我的左派老師
- Полу Нельсон
- ハーフネルソン
- Полу-Нельсон
- Fél Nelson
- Half Nelson - Encurralados
- חצי נלסון
- Yarım Öğretmen
- Half Nelson: Encurralados
- 하프 넬슨
- Szkolny chwyt
- Pusnelsons
+6 more Show fewer
- 半个尼尔森
- نصف نلسون
- Напів-Нельсон
- ฮาล์ฟ เนลสัน
- Halva haardes
- Pusė Nelsono
Seen Half Nelson?
Movies Like Half Nelson
Films with a similar story, tone or audience, including Half, Nobel Son and The Other Half.
Half Nelson FAQ: Cast, Box Office & Awards
Runtime, release date, director, cast, box office, ratings, awards and post-credit scenes of Half Nelson, each answered in a sentence.
How long is Half Nelson?
Half Nelson runs 1 hour 46 minutes (106 minutes).
When was Half Nelson released?
Half Nelson was released on August 11, 2006.
Who directed Half Nelson?
Half Nelson was directed by Ryan Fleck.
More films by Ryan Fleck Who is in the cast of Half Nelson?
Half Nelson stars Ryan Gosling and Shareeka Epps.
How much did Half Nelson make at the box office?
Half Nelson grossed $4.7 million worldwide ($2.7 million domestic, $2 million international).
How is Half Nelson rated?
Half Nelson has 7.1/10 on IMDb, 91% on Rotten Tomatoes, 85 on Metacritic and 66% on TMDB.
What awards did Half Nelson win?
Half Nelson won 2 awards from 10 nominations, including Best Female Lead at the Spirit Awards 2007.
Does Half Nelson have a post-credit scene?
No. Half Nelson has no extra scene during or after the credits.
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