Half Nelson is about a professor named Dan Dunn, who teaches middle school history and coaches a women's basketball team. It conflicts with the principle of the program. Dan is a rebellious teacher, who teaches his history class in his own way. He also has a drug problem. He likes to party and do drugs at night, then teach during the day. Drey is one of his students in his class. Drey is a latchkey kid. Her mother works as a paramedic. She often works double shifts, so she's not home often. Her mother doesn't know exactly what's going on with Drey because of her long work hours. Drey has a brother named Michael, who is in prison for drug trafficking. Michael has a friend named Frank, who helps the family while Michael is in prison. Dan had previously participated in a drug program, in which he met his ex-girlfriend Rachel. Dan discovers that Rachel is engaged to another man. Rachel moves on with her life, but not Dan. The program didn't work for Dan. He continued to use drugs while teaching history to junior high students and coaching girls basketball. One day after basketball practice, Dan goes to the locker room to make sure all the girls have left. He then goes to one of the toilets and lights his cocaine pipe. While smoking it, he hears someone enter the bathroom. One of his students, named Drey, opens the bathroom door and asks: Is anyone in there? » Drey looks at Dan and sees him with a pipe and a lighter. She says “oh sorry”. Dan says "It's okay." "I'm sorry." Dan asks Drey to help him up. Drey asks if he's okay. Drey takes a wet paper towel and wipes his face. Dan takes her home and asks her “See you tomorrow?” Dan says “yes”. The next day in class, Dan is very nervous. He paces the floor, rubbing... middle of paper... the offer. Frank convinces Drey to start working for him delivering drugs to people. Then one night, to show Drey the bad side of the business, he sends him to a motel room where Dan, his teacher, is partying. Frank does this to make Dan look bad in Drey's eyes. But Drey already knows about Dan's drug addiction. Drey enters the motel room where she realizes that Dan is the buyer. That's when Drey realizes Dan needs his help. Dan also realizes that Drey needs his help to get away from the drug scene. This movie shows how similar Drey and Dan are in the following ways. Dan and Drey are both on loan and want someone to take care of them. During their journey through the world of drugs, they realize that they need each other to survive. They both navigate the world of drugs in different ways, which brings them closer and a friendship develops...