Yes, Ryan Gosling is remarkable in this riveting portrait of a crack-addicted teacher coming apart at the seams. But for all the praise heaped on his Oscar-nominated shoulders, let’s not forget that Ryan Fleck’s beautifully-crafted drama is essentially a two-hander – a study of opposites, if you will, to borrow a line from one of the free-form lectures with which Gosling’s Dan Dunne regales his inner-city pupils.

For Half Nelson would exert a fraction of its hold without Shareeka Epps’ Drey, the troubled schoolgirl who, after discovering Gosling passed out in the locker room, becomes his confidante, accomplice and conscience. As displayed in Gowanus, Brooklyn, the 2004 short from which Epps and this film sprang, she is a screen natural whose quiet, older-than-her-years integrity supplies the bedrock for her co-star’s garlanded turn. Kudos too to Anthony Mackie for bucking stereotype with his drug-dealer character, a smoothly insinuating seducer whose approaches partially stem from a genuine concern.

DVD Extras:

Filmmakers' commentary
Gowanus, Brooklyn short
Filmmakers' interview
Audience Q&A
Deleted scenes
Photo gallery
Outtakes

Though the actors are largely missing from the generous selection of extras on offer, Fleck and co-writer/partner Anna Boden more than make up for their absence with a commentary, live Q&A and an interview conducted by TF’s own Tom Dawson. Fleck remains an amusingly dry presence throughout, while Boden’s delight is endearing. The highlight, though, is the aforementioned short, a Half Nelson-lite that offers a rare chance to see one of the year’s best movies in intimate capsule form.