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Mood:
Clever Humorous Offbeat Sentimental Witty Cynical
Plot:
Coming of Age High School Life Teenage Life Youth Family Relations Social Misfits Dysfunctional Family Lifestyle more...
Genres:
Drama Comedy
Time/Period:
Contemporary 21st Century
Place:
USA High School
Audience:
Teens
Praise:
Critically Acclaimed
Humor:
Dark Humor
Attitudes:
Semi Serious Realistic
Flag:
Brief Nudity Drugs/Alcohol Profanity

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Overview

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Charlie Bartlett, 2007

Starring: Anton Yelchin, Robert Downey Jr.

Directed by: John Poll

Written by: Gustin Nash

Language: English

Country: USA

Runtime: 97 min

MPAA Rating: R

Rating:7.1

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Profile of Charlie Bartlett

Charlie Bartlett can be described as clever, cynical, and witty. The plot revolves around high school life, coming of age, and youth. Its comic aspect comes from dark humor. Charlie Bartlett's main genres are drama and comedy. In approach, it is realistic. It is set, at least in part, at a high school. Charlie Bartlett is located in the USA. It takes place in contemporary times. The movie has received attention for being critically acclaimed. Charlie Bartlett is well suited for teens. Note that it involves brief nudity, drugs/alcohol, and profanity.

Summary of Charlie Bartlett

At the start of CHARLIE BARTLETT, the title character (Anton Yelchin) is expelled from yet another elite boarding school. This incident is just one in a long chain of expulsions resulting from Charlie's eccentric behavior. Despite his charming looks and wealthy upbringing, Charlie is just as insecure and unconfident as many teens. In fact, it's his intense desire to be popular that gets him into trouble. His high-strung, heavily medicated mother (Hope Davis) persuades him to enroll in public school, where he wears a prep school blazer and an all-too-eager look on his face. When he meets school bully Murphey (Tyler Hilton), who shoves his head down a toilet bowl, his dreams of acceptance are quickly crushed. But the young entrepreneur soon finds another use for the same bathroom stall, setting up shop as the school's unlikely shrink to his troubled fellow students, who line up for unorthodox counseling and medication that Charlie gets from his family's on-call psychiatrist. Charlie's the talk of the school until he catches the eye of the depressed Principal Gardner (Robert Downey Jr.). If Charlie is forced to shut down his little enterprise, will his popularity also disappear?

CHARLIE BARTLETT is another addition the offbeat teen dramedy genre, with elements strikingly similar to THUMBSUCKER, RUSHMORE, and ROCKET SCIENCE. With the help of strong performances by Yelchin, Davis, and Downey Jr., CHARLIE BARTLETT attempts to appeal to a more mature audience. Despite being precocious, Charlie is innocent at the core, exploring the inner goodness of even the school's meanest bully. As a result, the film shifts back and forth between adult cynicism and childlike wonder as Charlie learns that it's okay to be just a kid.

Details

Language:	English
Country:	USA
Release date:	1 May 2007
Runtime:	97 min

Cast and Crew See all

Anton Yelchin

as Charlie Bartlett

Robert Downey Jr.

as Principal Nathan Gardner

Photos See all

Charlie Bartlett (2007)

Clips See all

Charlie Bartlett: Official Trailer

Charlie Bartlett: Marilyn and Charlie at the piano

Charlie Bartlett: I cooked a perfectly edible meal

Critics Reviews See all

TV Guide

Jon Poll's harmless, occasionally entertaining debut feature. Full Review

|
by: Ken Fox

The Hollywood Reporter

Yelchin delivers one of those performances that pop eyes... It's a breakthrough role. Full Review

|
by: Kirk Honeycutt

Users Reviews See all

Lost my attention...

The movie started out witty and wonderful, but by about halfway through I began having a difficult time remaining seated. Read and rate it

11.May.2012
|
by: mindflowfree
mindflowfree rated this movie5/10So-so

"Charlie Bartlett" fails where "Rushmore" and "The Trotsky" succeeded

14.March.2012
|
by: Julie
Julie rated this movie6/10Okay

"Charlie Bartlett" fails where "Rushmore" and "The Trotsky" succeeded

Charlie Bartlett is like a cross between two other teenage, coming-of-age dramas: Rushmore and The Trotsky. In the former, the protagonist is kicked out of private school and must survive in public school. In the latter, a high school student attempts to lead a revolution in a similar situation. Charlie Bartlett shares many similarities with those two films; however, where they succeed, Charlie Bartlett fails. Charlie Bartlett's storyline of the protagonist kicked out of private school is contrived and a bit unbelievable. The character is charismatic, yet we are also supposed to believe that in his new school he is unpopular and targeted by jocks. He forms an unlikely friendship with the bully that beats him up and dispenses drugs/therapy to other students. While the concept is a new one, the backstory seems terribly contrived and cliché. Much of the initial story requires a hand wave in order to enjoy the story. On the other hand, the message Charlie Bartlett instills in the public is confusing and not very inspiring or realistic. While The Trotsky attempted to supersede apathy and make the students "stand up for what they believe in" in Charlie Bartlett the main coup d'état simply involves protesting video cameras being set up in the student lounge. A perfectly reasonable procedure, but apparently the students of the high school can't deal with safe supervision and lack of drugs or sex. Another prevalent character, the principal, is portrayed as both a bad guy and good guy. By the end of the film, we are unsure what to expect of him. While he's a wisecracking principal, father of one of the students, and former history teacher, he is also "uncool" in most respects. He's also an alcoholic after his wife cheats on him, and has a sudden fascination with boats. With this character, it appears too many different elements are mixed into something bewildering and difficult to understand. One of the film's saving graces is the sidestory of Kip, a believably shy and depressed teenager. The performance delivered by the actor is highly realistic and subtly brilliant. He is the first to request prescription drugs from Charlie, and the two develop a bond. His mannerisms and character is pretty spot-on, and a refreshing change from the confusing, flat characters.

14.March.2012
|
by: Julie

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