Plot Summary

Half Nelson tells the story of a deeply conflicted teacher whose ideals clash with his personal demons.

Dan Dunne (Ryan Gosling) is far from an ordinary teacher. In the classroom, he is energetic, charismatic, and genuinely connected to his students, introducing them to ideas of existence, the American Civil War, free thought, and dialectics. Outside of school, however, Dan leads a very different life—one marked by drug addiction, loneliness, and a persistent sense of failure.

For Dan, night and day are as separate as black and white. He has long managed to keep these two worlds apart, until one day he is discovered by one of his students. Drey (Shareeka Epps), a young girl forced to mature too quickly under difficult circumstances, unexpectedly comes face to face with her teacher’s secret.

Rather than exposing him, Drey chooses silence. Her decision creates an unusual and fragile bond between student and teacher—one built on mutual vulnerability rather than authority. As their friendship develops, Half Nelson explores addiction, mentorship, and the complex search for meaning in a world where ideals often collide with reality.