Charlie Bartlett is a good movie, nothing spectacular but it fulfilled my expectations very well. It is a very well written comedy with the perfect amount of drama. It is funny but not because its full of jokes or gags, the humor of this movie is a consequence of the situations in it. The plot about a wealthy teen (Yelchin) goes to a new public high school and ingratiates himself into its social fabric by using his charm to become the school's resident "psychiatrist" is good, its like a glimpse of how teenagers live nowadays. The cast composed entirely by young actors with the exception of Downey Jr. is good and they acted well. Robert Downey was good, Anton Yelchin in the role of Charlie, his performance was great. He was a excellent complement for Downey Jr. The rest of the cast like Kat Dennings and Hope Davis were a great support for the movie. In conclusion, this is an entertaining movie that is worthy just to watch Downey Jr. and Yelchin acting together.
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barrys825 October 2008
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Quebec_Dragon2 July 2009If you're pining for a modern John Hughes type teen comedy (such as Breakfast Club or Ferris Bueller's Day Off), then Charlie Bartlett would certainly fit the bill. It's like an anti-American Pie. The teens are not obsessed with sex, it has heart and even a few dramatic elements. It's not as funny as American Pie type movies but that's not the point. Charlie Bartlett is basically a good-hearted very smart rich kid expelled from all his previous private schools who wants to be popular and becomes a kind of psychiatrist for his fellow classmates in a "normal" public high school.
The actor portraying him did a remarkable job showing his eccentricities while keeping him likable and sweet despite his less than legal actions. I'm not quite sure how likely such a character would be in real life but he's certainly interesting. I also enjoyed the other teens portrayed (most being two-dimensional instead of one-dimensional caricatures) and wish there had been more washroom confessionals. Robert Downey Jr is once again wonderful as a loving father and tormented principal who's not completely "evil" as in most movies of this type. I liked the understated uncomplicated romantic aspect and it kind of made me wish for first love again although I've seen this done better in several other movies. Overall, it's a charming teen movie, not overtly real-life melodramatic, nor overtly over-the-top ridiculous, as we rarely see in this cynical 21st century. It's a good rental and a decent purchase if you like high school dramatic comedies.
Rating: 7 out of 10 -
vovazhd11 February 2008Charlie Bartlett is a comedy film about Charlie, a rich kid who drops out of a private high school and experiences culture shock after enrolling into a public school. After being an outcast for a few days, he gains popularity by setting up a dubious enterprise that distributes medical drugs around the school. At the same time, he discovers that he has an ability to counsel and give advice to other students. Their problems include substance abuse, depression, and identity crisis. It turns out that the adults also have problems of their own. Charlie soon learns that things are not as simple as he originally expected.
The acting is the best aspect of the film. Anton Yelchin fits perfectly as Charlie. He has the ideal attitude and personality for the role. The gestures and facial expressions are spot on. This makes for an extremely likable and charismatic main character. For most of the film, Principal Gardner serves as Charlie's opposition. Robert Downy Jr. does a terrific job as Gardner, conveying a wide range of emotions that makes you truly sympathize him. The rest of the cast (mostly other students in the school) are likable in their own ways. Despite their personal flaws, you can see a change in most (although not all) of them throughout the film.
The plot has some good ideas in it. It carries some great messages about our personal and social lives. I would have liked to see some of the plot lines carried further. For example, the story surrounding Charlie's father is very artificial and felt like it was tagged on simply to make Charlie look more imperfect. With a little imagination, a whole lot more could have been done with it. Also, it felt like the conclusion did not implement all the ideas together.
The dialog and writing was a mixed result. Generally, it was good and even excelled at some moments. But there were other parts that seemed too over the top or plain silly. Granted, it was walking a thin line between comedy and drama, but it could have felt more realistic.
I hope I don't sound too critical, because I enjoyed Charlie Bartlett and would definitely watch it again. The characters were good and the plot was interesting. It has more substance than the usual comedy. If IMDb's voting scales were more incremented, it would perfectly fit in as a 7.5/10. A good comedy to start the year off, don't hesitate to check it out. -
desiplaya9 February 2008This is one of the few teen comedies that actually works.
The script is fantastic and I loved the premise. Sure you can easily predict what will happen. The bully who becomes friends with the protagonist, the relationship with Charlie and the principal but it's still fun to watch. There are some illogical things in the plot such as how does he get time to talk to all the people in the bathroom during school. The effects of Ritalin were exaggerated but it was hilarious to watch.
The actors really do great jobs. Anton Yelchin, who plays Charlie, has a bright future ahead of him after see this. Kat Dennings plays her part right and Hope Davis is hilarious as the Charlie's quirky mother. Robert Downey Jr. adds another great performance to his resume as the alcoholic principal who just happens to be the father of Charlie's girlfriend. Another person I would add to this list is Tyler Hilton. He plays the bully who becomes friends with Charlie and I thought he did a really good job. If I had to pick two people who give the best performances it would have to be Anton Yelchin and Robert Downey Jr.
I really liked this movie and you should definitely check it out if you like teen comedies.
9/10 -
natuin5 April 2020Charlie Bartlett is a fun movie. I watched it because it was free on Amazon Prime video. The story is solid and the characters have convincing dilemmas. Sometimes the movie tries really hard to be edgy or cool which is kind of annoying, but the emotional parts of this film brought the rating up to a 6/10. Good film to watch if you're stuck inside or have a day off
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Scoats7 September 2008Might contain spoilers.
This is an odd movie. It doesn't really work because it tries to do too much with too little, or is it too little with too much. However the good far outweighs the bad. The original often outweighing the contrived. It seems to constantly osculate between those various extremes, never finding a solid footing.
I can usually tell in the first five minutes if I am going to last for the whole movie. With CB, it was clear I was sticking around for at least 30 minutes. It looked fresh and felt energetic.
It also became clear early on that the DVD would have no deleted scenes. They used everything they had to pad it out to 90 minutes. Some of those scenes were too forced.
There were many things that were really not great, like Charlie wearing his private school blazer to public school. What kid with 1/2 a clue would do that? I love Hope Davis, but her role as the clueless rich mother often seemed too contrived. "Oh look she's rich and doesn't get how normal people live". The principal's break down at the end where he is shooting up his pool seemed really out of character. First of all they really didn't work him up as being a sloppy drunk, more of a closet drinker. Second of all, even when he was supposedly really drunk, he was a crack shot, never missing one of his model boats. The sex scene seemed really unbelievable. Anton Whatever was quite good, a bit over the top in a few spots (which in some spots was due to the script), but managed to find the right balance most of the time. He's got more range than just being Bird Hoffstad.
It is a frustrating movie because I wanted to either like it more or dislike it more. Overall the movie worked. It puttered along well, keeping me engaged for the full 90 minutes; the padded scenes ending soon enough. There were many great scenes and many funny moments. In that way it succeeds were many similar films fail. This is one worth watching. If you are one who approaches teen movies with low expectations, you probably will be pleasantly surprised. I was.
I think this one will age well. When it comes on a TMC type channel in 2038, it will be one of those unexpectedly really great movies you stumble on that nobody ever heard of. -
I saw this in a members' preview at the wonderful Bryn Mawr Film Institute.
I truly enjoyed this movie. It was smart, hilarious, well-acted (especially Downey, Yelchin, and Davis), and well-scripted. I definitely recommend it, but not with the type of superlatives that other commenters have used here.
If my regard for this movie fades over the coming days, it will be in part because it's so easy to write a "recipe" for the film: it's 3 parts Pump Up the Volume, 1 part Rushmore, a generous dollop of closure, and enough cuteness and sweetness to smooth all the potential edginess out of the subject matter. Unfortunately, it's the sweetness that renders this movie inferior to both of those earlier movies (which are excellent). Once I was struck by the Pump Up the Volume comparison, I couldn't shake it, and I kept thinking that, although it has not aged wonderfully, Pump Up the Volume was the more honest and hard-hitting movie, and Rushmore was simply better. -
Charlie Bartlett is a comedy with a message. Some may say that's an oxymoron. But Jon Poll, directing from a Gustin Nash script, takes on the task and turns in a hybrid of a film that is so incredibly engaging you'll wonder why few filmmakers take on such a challenge. The audience was so loud and boisterous at the World Premiere screening at the Tribeca Film Festival that it sent the laugh meter off the scale.
Anton Yelchin is Charlie Bartlett, a kid born with a silver spoon in his mouth and an enterprising, albeit mischievous, brain. His antics get him kicked out of one private school after another. But his clever and earnest sincerity is bound to hit the target sooner or later and it does when he is thrown to the public school wolves. The scheme he invents to endear himself to the student body is nothing short of genius, and his performance fits the bill.
Yelchin has made a name for himself playing the smart, sensitive, and innocent tortured kid. Here he gets the chance to stretch his acting chops in a completely different direction. He's confident and anything but vulnerable. The wide range of emotions and the talents he shows here are unsurpassed. He sings, he dances, he plays piano, he does physical comedy and has fight scenes and romantic scenes and just about everything that could be thrown at him. And he looks to be so thoroughly enjoying it, which comes across on screen and proves to be so central to the film. After all, to enjoy a film one must identify somewhat with the protagonist, or at least like him, and Anton does that better than many actors twice his age.
Hope Davis is a riot as his not-quite-all-there mother. It's easy to see the source of Charlie's quirkiness. The relationship between mother and son is playful and mischievous, the kind of "mom as best friend" scenario which often results in tragedy. Here it's played just for laughs, and it works. She is everymom - with a twist of lemon.
Tyler Hilton is perfectly cast as the bully who we know from the start is destined to soften up somewhere along the way. That's what movie bullies do. But he brings an especially charming quality to the role which plays perfectly against Charlie's leanings toward the dark side. It's a delicate balance but Yelchin and Hilton make it work.
Robert Downey Jr. is ironically cast as the substance-addled principal who also happens to be the father of Charlie's love interest. One has to wonder whether Principal Gardner or Downey is speaking in some of the more poignant scenes about alcohol and drugs. It's chilling. Perhaps for that reason alone he is a standout here.
Kat Dennings plays the girl who is out to win Charlie's heart. The dynamic with Downey and Yelchin is a natural source of drama. This is the film's most heartfelt storyline, and Dennings is admirably up to the task.
At times it all feels so real, and it's no wonder -- writer Gustin Nash actually continued to write scenes and dialogue specifically for those actors after the film got underway and it shows.
Charlie Bartlett has the look and feel of a studio film, which should help it find an audience. The subject matter demands an R rating, if only for its content. But it's a film kids need to see. The message is squarely aimed at teens, even younger ones, and parents need to take heed. In the guise of a comedy, a good one at that, Charlie Bartlett has something meaningful to say about the excuses we use to justify our behavior and the chemical coping methods so many of us cling to. And it's d*mn funny. -
Charlie Bartlett (Anton Yelchin) has been kicked out of every private school he's ever went to. Finally after being kicked out of another school, his mother Marilyn (Hope Davis) decides to send him to public school. On his first day Charlie comes to school in a suit and ends up being beaten and humiliated by the school bully Murphy (Tyler Hilton). He makes no friends at first but he does have a crush on the principal's daughter Susan Gardner (Kat Dennings). Principal Gardner (Robert Downey Jr) is an alcoholic who is losing his daughter, and also hates his job. Meanwhile Charlie is sent to a psychiatrist who gives him a Ritalin prescription, causing Charlie to get high. Charlie then realizes how he can make all new friends and achieve popularity. Charlie begins having therapeutic sessions in the boy's bathroom, and also deals prescription drugs to the students. Students are lining up outside the door to see Charlie, which attracts the attention of Principal Gardner who now has to try to keep his daughter away from Charlie, while trying to end Charlies control over the school.
Charlie Bartlett presents us with the teen character stereotypes and a constant "John Hughes" look and feel to it. However Charlie's claim to fame through selling medicines would not prosper in real life like in the film. In real life Charlie would have been found out quickly if kids lined up to see him. Also Ritalin does not get you that high in reality like it did to the kids in the movie, but I can forgive that. Except for Charlie, Principal Gardner, Susan, and the bully Murphy (who turns into Charlie's assistant) there aren't really any other well developed characters. There is one character named Kip (Mark Rendall) who has a lot of depression and suicidal problems, and is Charlie's first patient. Something big happens with his character in the end but the movie forgets about him until the end. Robert Downey Jr's character is an alcohol abuser, basically mirroring his own past. Robert Downey Jr is the best part of the whole movie, and Anton Yelchin shows exceptional talent.
The movie does work in some ways however. I liked the bully's characterization and how he turned out in the end. Charlie Bartlett seems like a spoiled kid with a ton of issues, and his dealing of drugs to kids to achieve popularity is nothing but wrong. Although the movie realizes this by the end. I can definitely commend Charlie Bartlett as being better than the average teen comedy. It is more ambitious and does not follow all the stupid vulgar jokes that we usually see in a movie like this. Charlie Bartlett is more mature and understanding of actual problems and issues that exist in teenagers and adults alike. One problem however is that the movie turns out more serious than funny. I didn't really laugh too hard during many scenes, which I'm guessing may disappoint some audiences. The scene involving Charlie taking Ritalin for a week and showing him getting high, and playing fast piano scores, and dancing around the street in his underwear. This scene is very funny but the rest of the movie is not.
Overall Charlie Bartlett is more ambitious and goes down a different road than regular teen comedies. It's message of how you gain popularity is true. But the movie just isn't that funny because of how muddled the story becomes. Charlie is not really that likable which may have been the point, I'm not so sure. I give Charlie Bartlett a 2.5 out of 4. The movie is not funny or strong enough to be memorable. -
I saw an advanced screening of Charlie Bartlett at my school with a Q&A session with the writer and director last April, and I must say, I haven't enjoyed a movie this much in a VERY long time.
Anton Yelchin is Charlie Bartlett, a young rich boy who has just gotten kicked out of his private school for forging driver's licenses for his fellow students in an attempt to gain some acceptance. As a last resort, his strange mother, played wonderfully by Hope Davis, puts him into public school. At first, he is treated horribly as the 'new boy', until he appoints himself as the school psychiatrist and pharmacist, and the students begin to love him, fulfilling his dreams of popularity. Meanwhile, he begins an intimate relationship with Principal Goldberg's daughter, leading to many conflicts between Charlie and the principal.
Anton Yelchin portrays Charlie flawlessly - the best part was when he got high off of Ritalin - and Kat Dennings was just beautiful. Hope Davis, as always, played his eccentric mother wonderfully, and Robert Downey Jr. was absolutely great.
For any of you who are wondering about Mark Rendall's role in this film, he has a relatively large part as Kip Cromwell, the unpopular, depressed boy who comes to Charlie for help. I must say he is AMAZING. He does a beautiful job expressing his character's many and layered emotions.
Anyhow, GREAT MOVIE!!! Do whatever you can to see it as soon as you can. I would give it an 11/10 if I could!! -
datorsiers227 December 2014Charlie Bartlett is a movie with a good message, shows you how important it is to act in a friendly way and even though Charlie was way wealthier than everybody else he treated everyone equally, showed compassion for every single one of the kids, even the guy who kicked his ass multiple times. That only shows, that even your biggest enemy can someday be a good friend of yours and have you back when the situation gets nasty.
A traditional teen movie, with the usual flicks, but what i was quite disappointed about, was the fact that there was no school staff intervening Charlie's business, as a matter of fact really no school staff whatsoever apart from principal and superintendent. Robert Downey Jr. had his usual role of a cocky guy, performed well as per usual.
Charlie Bartlett was a great role model and Anton Yelchin's performance was superb in this movie, really the right person to play Charlie.
What i found interesting was that the music in the movie was really good, i very rarely see a movie, where i can enjoy the music while watching it, all the musical scenes, especially the music at the very end were really great, in my opinion. -
thinker169113 October 2009The transitional age we all suffered through were our formative years, during High School. This is where you learn what you believe is wrong and what you didn't believed is even more wrong. It's at this very trying time, one learns in order to survive, one must adapt, ignore the obvious and embrace the impossible. This film called " Charlie Bartlett " deals with all those issues and more. It begins with young Charlie (Anton Yelchin) a teen who dreams of becoming the most popular boy in school. The reality is definitely the opposite. Although rich and spoiled by his dotting mother, Charlie who has caused so much trouble in private schools, has been transferred to public education. Here he begins by being out of place, out of step and out of touch. Between becoming a bully's (Murphey Bivens) daily punching bag and dreaming of popularity, his efforts only land him in the arms of a shrink who proscribes a plethora of pharmaceutical drugs. Realizing their true value with the student body, he not only starts selling drugs, but becomes a peer confident. The change of life brings many rewards, and growing popularity but unfortunately closer to the troubled Principal (Robert Downey Jr.) and his rebellious daughter (Kat Dennings). All the characters have issues and our hero makes use of his substantial gifts of persuasion. The movie is surprisingly interesting and should not be underrated. It's a fun film and one which holds the attention of multi generational audiences. Recommended to anyone with an open mind. ***
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As a high school movie Charlie Bartlett is great. In the best movies, high school is never portrayed realistically, because it would be way too boring. High schools in movies are always way more colourful and have many big events during quite a short while. Stuff happens faster. It makes you kind of nostalgic for high school, while knowing it never was like that. But it's always fun to see typical sub-culture people like punks and goths and jocks and such, while the cliques might not have been so clear in your school.
Charlie Bartlett is both funny and sad. It's funny, because there definitely is humour there, even though it might be quite dark sometimes. Meanwhile it's also sad to see all these kids with their problems and seeing how little help they get - before Charlie shows up, of course.
However no matter how fun Charlie Bartlett might be, it feels also a bit boring. At least it's kind of a dull way to get all these deep, meaningful messages out. They get drowned in dialogue which isn't always that intriguing. There are several intense scenes that catch your attention though, but they are here and there and it's easy to not focus.
Charlie Bartlett is a good high school movie, but when it comes to movies in general, it's just decent. Most of it charms comes from Anton Yelchin, who was a talented, very present young actor. His performance alone makes this movie worth watching, however it doesn't quite reach my expectations. -
ZebraGreg23 February 2008This is the story: Charlie Bartlett, Anton Yelchin, is expelled from private school, and is sent to the public school by his rich Mom. He has high school outsider adventures until he sets himself up as an amateur psychiatrist with a illicit pharmacy, and then everyone loves him including the principal's daughter, Susan, played by Kat Dennings. The principal, played by Robert Downey Jr, has his own mental health issues, and this is an interesting plot twist, rather like Ferris Bueller's Day Off.
There are engaging performances from Anton Yelchin and Robert Downey Jr. They are fun to watch. I would like to see more from Anton. Kat Dennings and Hope Davis give interesting performances, but their characters are not as rich.
The first half of the movie where Charlie has problems and needs to solve them is far more interesting than when he is solving other people's problems. I did like the Kip Crombwell suicide episode.
This movie could have used some punched up dialog. It makes me appreciate Diablo Cody's Juno. The end was embarrassingly sappy. I almost closed my eyes. -
TxMike4 October 2008This movie is about high school students but it isn't really a movie for kids that age. It has a bit darker theme and unfortunately treats sex among high school students very casually. I believe it gives a harmful message in that respect.
But looking beyond that, it is a very interesting and entertaining movie. Anton Yelchin is rich kid Charlie Bartlett, and as the story begins he gets kicked out of yet another private school. This forces him to go to a public high school. His first day, he decides to ride the bus so maybe he will "fit in" better, but he goes dressed in his slacks, blazer, and a tie. Not too cool. So he gets picked on from the start.
But all Charlie wants is to be popular, and all of his schemes seem to revolve around that concept. At his new school he stumbles upon a way to become popular and off he goes. But not without more trouble ahead.
Hope Davis is his mother Marilyn Bartlett. Interestingly she also played Yelchin's mother some years ago in "Hearts in Atlantis" with Anthony Hopkins.
Robert Downey Jr. is superb as the high school Principal Nathan Gardner. He clearly struggles with trying to keep the students in line. He doesn't like trouble-makers. And coincidentally he is the father of female student Kat Dennings as Susan Gardner. Charlie and Susan are destined to be together and that results in much of the drama as the story unfolds.
Tyler Hilton is good as the bully Murphey Bivens who initially gives Charlie lots of grief but later teams up with him.
SPOILERS: Charlie seems to be a naturally gifted businessman and also a very good listener. His dad is not present, serving prison time for tax evasion. But Charlie's "business" enterprises are illegal. In private school he was making very good fake IDs. In his new school he realizes he can become popular by holding "office hours" in the boys bathroom, he and the "patient" sitting in adjacent stalls, just listening and talking to them. But when he goes to various doctors with fake emotional problems, to get various prescription medicines to sell to the students, he went way too far and also illegal.
The story plays out, there is the conflict with the principal, who gets fired in the process, but Charlie it seems finally learns that he doesn't have to try so hard to be friends, and that channeling his energy into legal, productive activities is the best way to live. -
This is just the type of role that the late-great Anton Yelchin thrived in. Quirky, off-kilter, and yet charming young man, this time someone who is trying to get by selling drugs in a high school. Except, he's way more interested in becoming the 'psychiatrist' of the entire student body, with only a principal (played by Robert Downey Jr.) in his way. It's almost like a spiritual sequel/remake to Ferris Bueller's Day Off. The plot doesn't necessarily take you places unexplored in cinema, but the performances and unique aesthetic make it 90 minutes worth checking out. And hey, Anton gets to punch Downey in the face, that's worth seeing right?
6.6/10 -
norahfields22 November 2017There are so many kids out there trying to make the world a better place, trying to save people and do everything in their power to just give everyone a voice. It's important that these wonderful teenagers are reminded that they are just kids, they shouldn't have to be therapists and they shouldn't have the responsibility for someone's life and I think this movie tells that story really well.
Gustin Nash has written a heartfelt story and shows a knack for one liners, but Jon Poll's film technique falls a little short as the images to the words doesn't add to them enough.
It's a great film and I recommend watching it when you're feeling nostalgic or you need a cheering up, but this is not a go to film for when you want to experience a slap of pure cinema. -
elvis_uit_gent10 February 2008Pump up The Volume. As you may or may not know, Pump Up The Volume is the 1990 film featuring Christian Slater as a renegade teenage radio host with a kind of f*ck the system mentality. It is basically about a socially misfitted person who becomes the person other people are dependent upon. In Charlie Bartlett we follow a similar young man, who struggles with life and all its inconsistencies. Helping others is the way he can forget about his own problems. So he becomes the school shrink. Of course there is the logical addition of a love interest, but in this movies, it's done quite nicely. It's not stretched out too far, doesn't really take up a lot of time in the movie (I'm talking about the getting so far that she is his girlfriend). So Charlie gets into trouble, tries again, tries again, ... and eventually succeeds. It's a classic feelgood-movie, which has very little social commentary but at times situations are quite recognizable. However, if you look at the movie from a broader perspective, it becomes clear that the guy you're rooting for (Charlie) is actually just a little prick. Which makes the conclusion of this film absolutely weird. But the again this story made very little sense.
Watch it like a teen comedy that tries to be intelligent and don't really focus on the fact that it doesn't succeed in this purpose and you will enjoy it. I know I did. -
MorganGrodecki19 February 2008I highly doubt many of those who are reading this are old enough to remember the year 1986, or the theatrical release Ferris Bueller's Day Off (John Hughes). Still, I trust that there are those of you have seen the movie on TV, or DVD, or even on the prehistoric VHS. Well, the small-budget, diamond in the dust movie of the year borrows heavily from it, taking both old and new material and making it into something fresh. This hidden gem is Charlie Bartlett.
Charlie Bartlett is the story of a young high school student with roots in royalty. Seemingly destined for a posh life, he constantly finds himself in situations involving expulsions due to fraud (hundreds of fake I.D.s given to schoolmates, for example). Soon, Charlie has been kicked out of nearly every private school within 100 miles of his house-mansion. With no alternatives left, Charlie quickly finds himself attending a public school with regular, everyday students. From here, he decides the only way to fit in is to become a lord of sorts, and begins handing out prescription drugs to those students truly in need with no way of getting them, while playing the role of psychiatrist. Of course, this bears consequences in the form of the principle And said principle's daughter.
An intelligent and witty movie, Charlie Bartlett is this generations Ferris Bueller. From the smooth, careless main character, to the parents being completely exaggerated in every manner, it all fits. The dialogue flows well and is witty throughout. Many teens will walk out thinking "That's not how teens talk!" Well, take it from a teen. There are those out there who would rather die than be seen writing out "Lyke Omg I luv ur new shoez!".
Now, the acting. Easily the best part of the movie, and also the weakest link. Up and coming actor Anton Yelchin (Alpha Dog) plays the role perfectly, never missing a beat. He plays happy and carefree when he needs to, but the next second he's so smug you want to smack him. It's perfection in the form of a teen. And of course, we have Robert Downey Jr. (Zodiac, Iron Man) gracing the screen in the form of Principle Gardner. The chemistry between the two hits every note, and doesn't waver for a minute. But, where perfection is seen, flaws are even more defined. Next to the two leads, many of the actors filling in the smaller roles seem to almost be trying to match them. And it doesn't come off well, with over-acting filling many scenes. Still, do not let it perturb you, as the powerful presentations easily overshadow the lesser ones.
My only nitpick in the movie that really took anything out of the movie It was very obviously written by middle aged men trying to put themselves in the shoes of teens. In places it worked, but in others it came across as very forced and unrealistic. The school is very paint by the numbers. Let blue represent jocks, play out red as the airheaded cheerleaders and throw yellow in for the geeks, and you can paint a portrait of cliché.
All this being said, the movie has its up and downs. Depending on your mood, this movie could be for you. If you're looking for a smart movie with witty dialogue and good acting, and are willing to temporarily suspend everything you know of high school, this movies for you. Otherwise, for those more plot less, action oriented movie fans Well, there's always Jumper.
4 out of 5 stars
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adamsmo1 March 2008Charlie Bartlett was one of the first in a wave of movies I've been looking forward to this year, mostly based on the strength of their trailers.
But, like my company, I was somewhat let down. The strong points of the movie are Charlie's mother, Charlie's principal, and of course, Charlie. Anton Yelchin did a very good job making Charlie into a very strong persona, one that rivals the recent creation of Ellen Paige in Juno. Unfortunately, Yelchin decidedly falls short, seemingly due to what is a bad job of casting throughout the movie, with no chemistry between the vast majority of them. Charlie and his mother are the only two who have true palpable chemistry, with each of the moments they are together very enjoyable.
Then comes the rest of the cast.... One thing about this movie is there are just too many pointless characters who add nothing to the story. There are countless characters who were played by Degrassi actors and actresses, which alone is a bad mistake in casting. Then comes Charlie's girlfriend, Kat Dennings, who takes away from the movie much more than she adds. She plays through most of the movie straight-faced, using some of the most generic dialogue possible to imagine. The character is given some sort of tough style, but it's never reflected in any other part of any alleged personality of the character.
Besides the casting issues, the weakest part of this movie is the script. While Charlie's mother and Charlie himself have distinguishable dialogue from everyone else, everything almost everyone else says could be said by anyone, anywhere, without a shred of a personality reflected in them.
Other than the noticeable issues I came across, I still managed to enjoy the film. It had its issues, but the competent directing managed to pull it together into something that I think most can enjoy, at least to an extent. -
anitalansing-40-58191518 March 2020This is one of the most near-perfect movies that I have watched in a very long time. I was completely enthralled with the storyline, the actors, and the movie itself. The movie had it all, comedy, drama, and guidance on the angsts of growing up and being a teen. I could not have asked for a more complete movie. Very good, very, very good.
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mlevens121 March 2008Robert Downey Jr. and Hope Davis deliver the best of this movie. Aton Yelchin (as the title character), who I've liked in previous films, turns an annoying and aggravating performance here. To understand all that Anton Yelchin has to offer in terms of film acting, rent ALPHA DOG and skip this.
The character-development is achieved with clichés. You have the bully, his sidekick, the pretty cheerleader, the nonconformist condemning the school's security cameras, the suicidal student, the jock, and the pretty girl who sees something in the nerdy new kid, Charlie Bartlett.
The movie's not a total loss; there are some funny scenes, such as the idea of Mrs. Barlett (Hope Davis) having a psychiatrist on call. And the principal (Robert Downey Jr.) has a humorous exchange with Charlie, after informing him his shenanigans put someone in the hospital. -
hardcoresocrates30 June 2007If no studio wants to invest in your film, it's because they know that unless all the stars align with your project, they're not going to make money. Well, the filmmakers here -- from the producers to the PA's -- obviously labored enough to force those stars into line, and make a terrific film that is bound to bring box office returns.
As a filmmaker watching this film, what confused me at first was how, as the story begins, there seems to be no structure, but it still made me hang on every word. Like any good film, that structure remained invisible throughout the whole film; it was only in retrospect that I could see how well this journey was laid out for us to effortlessly enjoy ourselves with realistic comedy, absurdist comedy, genuine romance, genuine father/daughter struggles and a variety of questions we should be all be asking ourselves. No filmmaker-knows-all solutions here.
This has an R rating, because the MPAA is afraid that kids can't handle talk about teenage Ritalin use. Either we all embrace the neo-comic book code era http://historymatters.gmu.edu/d/6543/, or we have to convince the industry to ditch this mindless censorship club that attempts to protect our children from the new perspectives that they need more than ever.
Tell them what you think at www.mpaa.org/AboutUsContactUs.asp -
Downey Jr and Yelchin create surprisingly relatable and likable characters, pretty well free of cliches.
It definitely channels Pump Up the Volume. However, it's still quite different. The satire about psych drugs and it's spot on. Give kids these meds and of course they'll gleefully but sell and trade.
But the final act is so discordant to what came before. The loopy doopy play the school puts on, complete with musical numbers, is one of the very things that makes kids crazy to begin with. -
arcticcarrot12 February 2008This film infuriated me enough that I'm not certain I can write sensibly about it. So forgive me if I begin to rant. The thing is, this movie blatantly rips off several movies that I love, including "Harold And Maude," "Pump Up The Volume," "Some Kind Of Wonderful," "Sixteen Candles," "Ferris Bueller's Day Off" and "Rushmore." It is not an homage to these films. It's simple thievery. And not done by an adept thief, but by an amateur. Meaning the thievery doesn't even work.
The song "If You Want To Sing Out, Sing Out" was written by Cat Stevens specifically for the film "Harold And Maude" (one of only two songs written for that film, the other being "Don't Be Shy"). In this film it's used twice, the first time as a duet on the piano, just as it's used the first time in "Harold And Maude," which is annoying enough. But the second time, it doesn't fit at all. It's used to end a play - a play that is supposed to be controversial, by the way, but which clearly isn't - written by a student. So Gustin Nash has the student be a thief as well - this poor suicidal character (the suicide attempt, incidentally, is straight out of "Pump Up The Volume," as is Charlie Bartlett's speech near the end and his subsequent arrest - in fact, as he is put into the back of the police car in slow motion, I couldn't help but turn to my friends and say "Talk hard"). So the play within the film ends with a song stolen from a much better film - but doesn't fit at all. Also, they didn't get the lyrics right, but that's insignificant when compared to the larger problems of this movie.
If you do decide to see this film, I suggest a way to enjoy it: shout out the title of the movie each scene is stealing from. I'll give you a hint. When the movie begins - and I mean the second it starts - shout out, "Rushmore." You'll be ahead of the game.
The first scene is the first scene from "Rushmore." A teenager's fantasy about standing in front of his peers, being successful and leading the way - and then getting shaken out of his reverie by a teacher. Actually, the first several scenes are from "Rushmore." The boy gets kicked out of private school, ends up in public school, but still wears the blazer with the private school emblem on it.
But Gustin Nash is not content to steal from just "Harold And Maude" and "Rushmore." We're soon introduced to the bully from "Some Kind Of Wonderful," and - surprise, surprise - he and the main character become friends. And he, like Elias Koteas in the better film, has hidden artistic talent. He can act. So, like in "Rushmore," the bully is in the play at the end of the film. We also have the scene from "Sixteen Candles" where a couple leave a dance to go sit in the backseat of broken car within the building. Of course, before that we're treated to the school bus ride from "Sixteen Candles." That reminds me. There is a school bus sign to let Charlie Bartlett know where to catch the bus, yet no one else gets on at that stop. So why was the sign there? Did the bus always stop there, even when there were no students? Or did they just put the sign up that day for him?
Well, this movie is not the worst film I've ever seen. There is actually some good acting in it, especially by Kat Dennings as Susan, Charlie's love interest, and Tyler Hilton as the bully. And of course Hope Davis is always good. And Robert Downey Jr., an actor I love, does the best he can with the material - but he does fall flat in several scenes, particularly a horrible scene involving him waving a gun around next to his pool. I could go on for several pages about all that is wrong with that scene, but I won't. Because I hope by now I've convinced you to stay far away from this film. Don't let this amateur thief have a hit. Let him fade quietly away.