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.
I've been waiting FOREVER to see this movie. My video store didn't have it and the RedBox didn't have it. But no fear I finally saw it and now I'm SO glad I did.
Charlie Bartlett is a similar movie to Juno in my opinion. It takes real people and puts them into real issues. Charlie Bartlett is so relative in so many ways. It's a great teen movie. YAY Charlie Bartlett.
Unsurprising wit accompanied by wisdom you'd extract from any pill-popping, dysfunction-facilitating, self-obsessing American family. It's a tired storyline. Few nice moments. Not even RDJ would make me want a second viewing.
At last! A smart teen comedy! The concept and the storyline are highly interesting, the humor is subtle (for instance, the entire movie has to do with illegally-distributed medication and during a scene the leading actor is wearing a T-shirt that reads "People like YOU are the reason people like ME need medication")
Some scenes are wonderful (the longest scene in the limouzine, the scenes between Charlie and his principal in Charlie's house and in the pool)
Anton Yelchin is unbelievably good and has earned my full respect. During the film he speaks english with 3 or 4 different accents and he's equally great in all of them. He's also amazing in the scenes where he is shown visiting different psychiatrists and expaining different symptoms to conditions he doesn't have. Yelchin is a fresh breath of air. Great acting job also by Robert Downey Jr. who is flawless in his every performance and by Hope Davis who plays the seemingly uncaring mother. Tyler Hilton and Kat Dennings didn't do an equally great job -they were simply mediocre.
All in all, a great, funny, light-hearted comedy that is easily likable and watchable.
However, it is generally far-fetched and unreal, since school life could never be like that. Someone who is illegally distributing prescrition drugs and is responsible for a suicide attempt faces crime charges, he doesn't just change schools. Also, someone who is responsible for the bullying and beating of others faces some expalsion time, not just walk around free or suddenly have a change heart.
The use of music in this film makes some scenes a bit melodramatic and MTV-ish. But then, it's also rated R. Honestly, who is this film intended for/being marketed to?
Downey delivers a standard but enjoyable performance with his usual dry, acerbic wit, narrowly avoiding token character-ism.
Yelchin really delivers here, and it's obvious he's better than the script. He shows a lot of promise for the future.
Hilton also stands out as one of the better performers in this film.
Overall, the film wasn't too realistic and not incredibly funny or compelling, but I'm glad I watched it if only for the introduction to Yelchin.
Holy Crap this movie was hilarious!!! I didn't know what to expect, but man this was good. I loved Juno and they didn't promise enough for this one. Totally loved the inside into High School and what bothers these kids...the Principal was my kinda guy and this movie ROCKED! lol
Having been kicked out of numerous boarding schools (for activities including faking driving licenses), Charlie Bartlett is forced to attend public high school. Charlie has his work cut out in seeking popularity with his new classmates, which isn't easy when you're the only kid at school wearing a blazer. However, thanks to some sage advice, along with a little drug dealing, Charlie attains the popularity he so desperately craves, only to find his antics brought to the attention of the school's principal. Before long, Charlie finds himself acting as the mouthpiece for the pupils, and a marked man with the school's superintendent and principal. Though only blessed with a handful of recognizable faces, each actor fully inhabits their role, creating characters that are likeable, believable, and, in nearly all cases, a little broken. Anton Yelchin, as Charlie, is a revelation. The illegitimate offspring of Ferris Bueller and Rushmore's Max Fischer, Yelchin delivers a performance that is infectious. Robert Downey Jr. continues his recent excellent run as the school's principal. Downey Jr. plays the role in such a way that, rather than have us see him as the ball-busting nemesis of Charlie, we see him as a human being, understanding of Charlie's actions but forced to act, due to the pressures put on him by the school's superintendent. Charlie Bartlett is revealed as a very good film that, thanks to its illustrious peers, cannot quite be considered great.
Entertaining, witty and superbly acted. I'm glad to say that this is not your typical, clichéd teen movie.
Anton Yelchin definitely has a bright future ahead of him, he was excellent, I can't believe it was the same guy who played the innocent and quiet little brother in Alpha Dog. His character is very likeable who happens to have a Ferris Bueller type of attitude. Robert Downey Jr. was brilliant and Hope Davis also provides good support.
Although the plot seems quite unrealistic at times, it manages to keep you entertained and ends with a good message.
Principal Gardner: "Charlie, there are more important things than popularity. Charlie Bartlett: Like what? 'Cause I'm seventeen. And right now, popularity's pretty damn important! Principal Gardner: Like what you do with that popularity."
The best way to describe Charlie Bartlett is by calling it one of those quirky, supposedly smart - à la Juno - little films that Americans tend to make in abundance these days and that could have been so easy to hate if it weren't for its abundance of charm. A high school comedy which comes off as kind of a cross between Ferris Bueller's Day Off and Rushmore. The titular hero is a rich kid who has been kicked out of every private prep school he might conceivably go to, thus dooming him to public school, where the somewhat soft-spoken and almost feminine young man shows up the first day carrying a leather attaché case and wearing a blue blazer crowned by a Latin insignia. As you can well imagine, he manages to last about a half hour before having his head stuck in the toilet - something which apparently happens all the time in American schools.
But Charlie is a determined and crafty lad who wants to be liked, so he cooks a plan. He has unlimited access to prescription drugs through the family's psychiatrists, and the bully who stuck Charlie's head in the toilet has what it takes to distribute those drugs, so Charlie proposes a partnership. He soon realizes that he can't just give everyone the same drugs, so he consults with them, determines their symptoms, then repeats those symptoms to one of his mum's many shrinks and... bingo. He's not only the school's drug dealer, but its psychiatrist as well. Activities like this can't be kept secret very long, so it is inevitable that Charlie will come into conflict with the school's principal, and their relationship will be further strained by the fact that Charlie is dating the principal's daughter.
You're probably thinking that the film sounds like a typical, straight-to-DVD material, high school comedy. Honestly, in theory it is... but it's somehow better than that. Maybe I can convey why by telling you that the film's authority figure is played - brilliantly, as always - by Robert Downey Jr., who's not exactly the first person you'd think of when casting a stern authority figure who needs to crush a teenage drug epidemic. Downey's character was once the beloved and cynical history teacher, a job for which he was perfectly suited. He was unwise enough to accept a promotion to principal, a job totally inappropriate for his natural unorthodoxy, and the frustration of trying to function in the job drove him deep into the bottle. His wife left him, which drove him deeper into the bottle. As we pick up his story, the only thing he has left in life is his daughter, who is now having sex with the same kid who's disrupting his school, a certain Charlie Bartlett.
By allowing the principal to be a complex and somewhat sympathetic character, the script lifts the film above the level of the usual film about high school rebellion. In fact, the film allows all of the adults to live and breathe. Charlie's mother (perfectly played by Hope Davis), although kind of insane, is also very interesting, kind-hearted and sometimes surprisingly wise. The local police chief prefers cooling off to busting heads. The only cartoon authority figure is a superintendent of schools who is despised by both the kids and the principal. The film can be forgiven that clumsy device for the complexity it exhibits elsewhere.
Unfortunately, the film's successes in characterization are not really matched by its wit. I really wish I could tell you it is a great comedy, because I liked its heart, and I liked its characters. But it isn't. It has a lot of the right ingredients, but it just isn't that funny. The film was originally supposed to be released last summer, but I can see why it was pulled from the summer schedule. It's not a high-spirited, fun summer comedy, despite its premise. Without the laughs, the film comes up too long on teen angst, and plays out as a thoughtful character study disguised as a comedy, kind of like a John Hughes' film without the too-sappy romantic ingredient. If you're OK with that, it's not an unpleasant way to pass the time. It certainly wasn't for me.
I can not believe the glowing reviews of this movie. I found the movie to be poorly written, choppy and ultimately boring. The scenes regarding the effects of Ritalin were ridiculous and over the top. It seemed the f word was dropped several times for no reason other than to gain the R rating. I thought many scenes seemed forced or unnecessary. The ending seemed to drag as loose-ends were tied up that no one in the audience cared much about. Contrary to what some one else has written I see no comparison to Rushmore or Pump up the Volume, both movies which I think are fantastic. All in all, not only am I glad I didn't pay to see this movie, I wish I had the 90 minutes back.
The film's only saving grace is Kat Dennings' hot bod and Robert Downey's great acting. That's it. Not really recommended.
I can honestly say this is my favorite movie of 2007 (so far.) It's a great story of a boy who, essentially, is in search of validation and fitting-in.
The premise may seem all-too-familiar at first, but after the initial Rushmore similarities during the prologue are presented, they're also dissolved. The movie immediately turns into something entirely different and, may I dare say: original.
The need for social acceptance is the quinessential theme of this film; with Bartlett (Yelchin) and Principal Gardner (Downey, Jr.)--two diametrically opposite characters--seeking the same thing! This proves the films universal appeal. It's really a dark statement on the state of the sheep in the meadow.
There's something completely sobering about seeing kids getting doped up in order to fit in. But that's sort of how our society works nowadays.
This movie has it all: a great script; funny and clever dialogue and comedy; poignant and tender moments of romance between Bartlett and his girlfriend Susan; as well as understanted moments of subtle dramatic tides between Bartlett and his eccentric mother (Hope Davis.)
Expect this movie to pluck some Oscar nominations--particularly in the screenplay category.
But don't be surprised if the title character merits its actor, Anton Yelchin, a nomination for Best Actor as well. It's a long-shot; but it would definitely be a deserved accolade of attention and popularity...which is all Charlie Bartlett would ever want anyway!
Quite a cool, laid-back movie. Problem is, it has an already presented story and it's quite long for the story per se, but it's still quite cool, the characters are likeable, the soundtrack's amazing, and the irony of everything's what makes it good. The edition's nice, and the whole presentation and presenting another refreshing view of the teenager view makes it all very enjoyable.
Incredibly uneven, but has good intentions. This is a strange hybrid of a high school comedy and a poignant drama, both of which stand well enough on their own but together confuse the message and tone. Good performances all around, Downey Jr. doing what he does best here (have you noticed he always seems to play an ass?) and Yelchin holds his own. The comedy is usually quite good and the script can be snappy in spots, but the "moral" of the story weighs it down, adding a rather cliched take-home message. I also have a beef with the sweet, tie-everything-up-neatly ending, which completely negates the tragic backstory of many characters. Everybody knows that destruction follows redemption, check Shakespeare. Still, the honesty is (usually) there, and that's what you really take home.
Without getting rid of some basic cliché and having a competent direction, the movie shines over some other teen comedy while touching some interesting aspect of this special period of life. While there is too *snob* aspect in all this way of life, I found a lot of me in charlie bartlett. Still a lot of thinking remains interesting and keep this movie on some smart path.
This is going to be a very hard movie to review because I'm basically only going to say negatives, but yet, I really enjoyed this movie and gave it a 4 as you can see. When it first starts out, it seems like its just the same-ole same-ole teen comedy, but it actually gets a lot better and you realize its pretty different. I enjoyed the plot pretty much actually- it was very different and new. Finally, a movie that isn't a remake, based off something else, or a plot-stealer! This movie kept my attention and not once did I look at a clock like I ALWAYS do during movies. The comedy was... trying too hard. It had little puns where it was so common, and so already-done it just made the movie seem amateur. It wasnt very realistic at all, and I wonder, was the crowd that you always saw just his senior class or something; or what? I'm not a very big fan of Kat Dennings, but I think she did a terrific job! The movie went too far on the high school myths too. A new kid goes to school and gets beat up by the big bully. The whole thing seemed kinda made-for-tv-ish. But really, the movie WAS good. I'm not real sure why it didn't get bigger because it's enjoyable, and its your typical comedy. Watch it.
It had a superb cast of many people who fly under the radar but are brillant. Its such a unique teen movie dealing with things that many movies don't exactly try to do. Its got interesting witty comedy not stupid funny with an edge. Kat Dennings and Anton Yelchin performances were fantastic. I highly enjoyed it.
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