Movie finally

I have long wanted to catch some movies during this oscar season and i chosen Half Nelson which 8 Days and Straits Times gave 4.5 and 5 stars respectively. Ryan Gosling is nominated for Best Actor category in the Academy Awards.

It is the first time i went to the Picturehouse at The Cathay and it is also my first time sitting on such an expensive chair (reported at $10,000 per chair). It certainly looks quite expensive and classy but once i sat on it, it didn't feel very comfortable. The cushion is little too rigid and the arm rests feels too hard. Got a little headache after the show as well.

Anyway, back to the movie. The story is about a white teacher, Dan, teaching history in a predominantly black community. The irony is that he is actually a drug addict and he got caught strung out in a toilet by one of his students. They develop a friendship between each other as each one of them faces their own morality tests. The student, Drey, is close to a friend who is has dealings with drugs and Dan chastises Drey for being friends with bad company.

The story is simple and straightforward, not overblown or overtly dramatic to cater to mainstream audiences wishes. The acting is strong with Ryan Gosling totally believable as a junkie, as well as a teacher who is keen on educating and changing people's lives. Shareeka Epps also holds her own as the student who is very independent, but ocassionally falling for the dark side.

The film is a little too understated for me but it is nevertheless a great character study of two flawed human beings, with good acting to boost.

***1/2