Half Nelson

dans whole purpose for these middle-school students is to highlight the inevitable force of change and how the continuity of evolving as a society is rooted in the alternation of dishonourable tradition. however, we are still faced at the end with the drug addicted, numb middle-school teacher and his student with an atypical and unstable family situation; no matter how much dan and drey put aside personal problems to focus on eachothers needs, the so taught "opposing forces of change" never seem to come into effect for the two. !!spoilers!! the scene that broke my heart was when drey arrived at apartment 50, knowing what shes doing is unideal, and could be totally avoided from the efforts of her teacher, yet she falls short to prevention due to pressure and courtesy. when dan then peeks his head to address his dealer, he is revealed to drey. he is portrayed as guilty, exhausted, embarassed, immensely desperate, but also betrayed. his lips purse as he gives drey cash; they both knew they couldn't call out their behaviour as they both knew that they have disappointed each other, even if it wasnt on purpose. they are both scared to admit that the change they both urgently needed and were given guidance to achieve had no effect on how they truly felt—alone—and how their relationship as student and teacher had greatly restricted their grasp on one another. this is one of those movies that linger in my head as it's moral is so deep and critical—something i needed to hear, something i didn't think of til now, or something i already knew but couldn't put into words.