Half Nelson

Dan Dunne (Ryan Gosling) is a young middle-school history teacher in Brooklyn who leads a secret life of addiction. His friendship with student Drey (Shareeka Epps) develops after she discovers his drug habit and forms a bond that could either end disastrously or provide hope. Dan's life is a mess, and he struggles to balance his relationships, particularly with his ex-girlfriend Rachel and another teacher Isabel, while also trying to help Drey navigate her own problems with her absent father and neighborhood dealer Frank.