"The Only Constant is Change."

I've been looking forward to watching Half Nelson for some time. Ryan Gosling's performance is awesome, and he really did deserve his Oscar nomination. However, the plot left me wanting more. You want Mr. Dunne to get better because he is a good teacher who gets his students. There's this bit where he admits that rehab didn't work for him. There's the point where he and Drey can't sink any lower. Then, there's the end. The end doesn't illustrate a substantial change to prove to the audience that these two will make it somehow. I'm not asking for a hokey-happily-ever-after ending. C'mon, the joke and the no-beard, that's it? After hoping throughout the whole movie that these two will figure out their lives, that last scene is so unfulfilling.