Half Nelson (2006)

Half Nelson tells the story of Dan Dunne a young inner-city junior high school teacher whose  ideals wither and die in the face of reality.  Day after day in his shabby Brooklyn classroom, he  somehow finds the energy to inspire his 13 and 14 year-olds to examine everything from civil  rights to the Civil War with a new enthusiasm.  Though Dan is brilliant, dynamic, and in control  in  the classroom, he spends his time outside school on the edge of consciousness.  His  disappointments and disillusionment have led to a serious drug habit.  He juggles his hangovers  and his homework, keeping his lives separated, until one of his troubled students, Drey (Shareeka  Epps), catches him getting high after school.  From this awkward beginning, Dan and Drey  stumble into an unexpected friendship.  Despite the differences in their ages and situations, they  are both at an important intersection.  Depending on which way they turn – and which choices they make – their lives will change.