Half Nelson

Aroview: Ryan Gosling proves serious acting chops in this subtle yet prickly drama about a teacher with a crack habit and the student - his dealer’s little sister - who finds him out.

An American ‘indie’ pitched as much at urban black audiences as its traditional film-savvy youth, this boldly subverts the Hollywood formula of the “inspirational authority figure”. While acted with great conviction, however, the bitter duality of the protagonist’s lifestyle doesn’t make for comfortable viewing, as was the case with Phillip Seymour Hoffman in LOVE LIZA.