Half Nelson (2006)

Despite his dedication to the junior-high students who fill his classroom, idealistic teacher Dan Dunne leads a secret life of addiction that the majority of his students will never know. But things change when a troubled student Drey makes a startling discovery of his secret life, causing a tenuous bond between the two that could either end disastrously or provide a catalyst of hope.

Genres: Drama

What to watch after Half Nelson

• It's Kind of a Funny Story (2010) — Ryan Fleck directed both
• The United States of Leland (2003) — Same feel: dramatic, thought-provoking
• The Place Beyond the Pines (2012) — Ryan Gosling appears in both
• Sugar (2008) — Ryan Fleck directed both
• Liberty Heights (1999) — Same subject: high school
• Mean Creek (2004)