BBB

(out of 5)

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Ryan Fleck expands his short film Gowanus, Brooklyn to feature-length in this absorbing drama. Ryan Gosling is excellent as a junior high school teacher whose aimless drug addiction catches up with him when a student (Shareeka Epps) with problems of her own see him doping himself up in a school change room.  The two begin to spend more time together, and their being forced to see their own lives from another perspective has an affect on the choices they make in dealing with their own issues.  Fleck’s Von Trier-esque camera work is terrific, as are the performances (however good Gosling is, Epps matches and outdoes him), but it’s a bit obvious that the short film’s emotional arc hasn’t been expanded for the feature and the film runs longer than the viewer is prepared for.  Deborah Rush has a wonderful supporting role as Gosling’s former hippie mother, and the dialogue is top notch.

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Hunting Lane Films, Journeyman Pictures, Silverwood Films, Original Media, Traction Media, Verisimilitude

USA, 2006

Directed by Ryan Fleck

Screenplay by Ryan Fleck, Anna Boden

Cinematography by Andrij Parekh

Produced by Anna Boden, Rosanne Korenberg, Alex Orlovksy, Jamie Patricof

Music by Broken Social Scene

Production Design by Beth Mickle

Costume Design by Erin Benach

Film Editing by Anna Boden

Film Festivals:  Sundance 2006

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Cast Tags:  Adepero Oduye, Anthony Mackie, Bryce Silver, Christopher Williamson, Collins Pennie, David Easton, Deborah Rush, Deidre Goodwin, Denis O’Hare, Eleanor Hutchins, Erica Rivera, Jay O. Sanders, Jeff Lima, Kaela C. Pabon, Karen Chilton, Katie Nehra, Kitty, Leslie Eva Glaser, Matt Kerr, Monique Gabriela Curnen, Nathan Corbett, Nicole Vicius, Raymond Anthony Thomas, Ron C. Jones, Rosemary Ledee, Ryan Gosling, Sebastian Sozzi, Shareeka Epps, Sharon Washington, Stanton Davis, Starla Benford, Stephanie Bast, Steve Kursh, Susan Kerner, Thaddeus Daniels, Tina Holmes, Tristan Wilds, Tyra Kwao-Vovo

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Academy Award Nomination
Best Actor in a Leading Role (Ryan Gosling as “Dan Dunne”)

New York Film Critics Award
Best First Film

Nominations
Best Actor (Ryan Gosling)
Best Supporting Actress (Shareeka Epps)

National Society of Film Critics Award Nominations
Best Actor (Ryan Gosling)
Best Supporting Actress (Shareeka Epps)

National Board Of Review Awards
Best Breakthrough Performance-Male (Ryan Gosling)
Top Ten Independent Films

Screen Actors Guild Award Nomination
Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role (Ryan Gosling)

Independent Spirit Awards
Best Female Lead (Shareeka Epps)
Best Male Lead (Ryan Gosling)

Nominations
Best Feature
Best Director (Ryan Fleck)
Best First Screenplay
Producers Award

Toronto Film Critics Award Nomination
Best Performance, Male (Ryan Gosling)

Boston Film Critics Awards
Best Supporting Actress (Shareeka Epps)
Best New Filmmaker

Nomination
Best Actor (Ryan Gosling)

Chicago Film Critics Award Nominations
Best Actor (Ryan Gosling)
Most Promising Performer (Shareeka Epps)

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