Scan and Pan
Thursday, March 06, 2008
Charlie Bartlett
Rich kid Charlie Bartlett (Anton Yelchin) gets kicked out of yet another private school, so his mother (Hope Davis) sends him to a public school. He doesn't fit in at first, being mocked for his style of dress and beaten up by the school bully (Tyler Hilton). After being prescribed Ritalin by a psychiatrist and enjoying its effects, Charlie begins to sell his pills to other students. With his popularity suddenly rising, Charlie decides to counsel his fellow students and get them the drugs they need to deal with their emotional problems, a course of action that puts him in conflict with the school's alcoholic principal (Robert Downey Jr.) while also winning Charlie the affections of the principal's teenaged daughter Susan (Kat Dennings).
First time feature film director Jon Poll (a former film editor whose credits include Monkeybone and Meet the Fockers) takes a decidedly low key approach to the story that allows for a surprisingly thoughtful examination of teen angst. The screenplay by Gustin Nash is a refreshing 21st century take on the time honored student vs. principal genre, resembling as much as anything a darker John Hughes film filled with edgy satire but still having an emotional core that understands its characters' need for popularity and self-expression as they're poised between the worlds of childhood and adulthood. If some of it seems familiar at times, its snarky sense of humor (right down to "no teenagers were harmed during the making of this movie" in the end credits) and engaging cast allow it to rise above that.
Yelchin's combination of vulnerability and quiet charm brings the title character to life with a subtle shading rare for such a young actor. He's someone to keep your eye on as his career develops further. Downey's performance reveals a keen understanding of what makes his character tick, a man who routinely drowns his pain in alcohol, and he's able to bring some depth to the role that makes him more interesting than just being the authority figure tying to keep the crazy kids down. Dennings supplies some fresh-faced charm as Charlie's love interest.
The supporting cast is also very good, including Davis as Charlie's ditzy mother, Hilton as the school bully, Mark Rendall as an outcast who expresses himself by writing a play, Dylan Taylor as a mentally handicapped student befriended by Charlie, Derek McGrath as the tough-minded superintendent, and David Brown as a sympathetic police officer.
I have to admit, I liked both Charlie Bartlett the film and Charlie Bartlett the character. There's a certain sweetness to both of them that allows the film's message that the problems of young adults are ignored or minimized by those around them, including authority figures, to resonate with some emotional depth. Also, it's just plain funny.
[4 out of 5 stars]
This teen comedy had its release date changed several times before it was finally dumped in the off-season, usually a good indication that a film isn't very good. Not this time. This one is actually a quite good and quite funny film about teens and their problems.
Rich kid Charlie Bartlett (Anton Yelchin) gets kicked out of yet another private school, so his mother (Hope Davis) sends him to a public school. He doesn't fit in at first, being mocked for his style of dress and beaten up by the school bully (Tyler Hilton). After being prescribed Ritalin by a psychiatrist and enjoying its effects, Charlie begins to sell his pills to other students. With his popularity suddenly rising, Charlie decides to counsel his fellow students and get them the drugs they need to deal with their emotional problems, a course of action that puts him in conflict with the school's alcoholic principal (Robert Downey Jr.) while also winning Charlie the affections of the principal's teenaged daughter Susan (Kat Dennings).
First time feature film director Jon Poll (a former film editor whose credits include Monkeybone and Meet the Fockers) takes a decidedly low key approach to the story that allows for a surprisingly thoughtful examination of teen angst. The screenplay by Gustin Nash is a refreshing 21st century take on the time honored student vs. principal genre, resembling as much as anything a darker John Hughes film filled with edgy satire but still having an emotional core that understands its characters' need for popularity and self-expression as they're poised between the worlds of childhood and adulthood. If some of it seems familiar at times, its snarky sense of humor (right down to "no teenagers were harmed during the making of this movie" in the end credits) and engaging cast allow it to rise above that.
Yelchin's combination of vulnerability and quiet charm brings the title character to life with a subtle shading rare for such a young actor. He's someone to keep your eye on as his career develops further. Downey's performance reveals a keen understanding of what makes his character tick, a man who routinely drowns his pain in alcohol, and he's able to bring some depth to the role that makes him more interesting than just being the authority figure tying to keep the crazy kids down. Dennings supplies some fresh-faced charm as Charlie's love interest.
The supporting cast is also very good, including Davis as Charlie's ditzy mother, Hilton as the school bully, Mark Rendall as an outcast who expresses himself by writing a play, Dylan Taylor as a mentally handicapped student befriended by Charlie, Derek McGrath as the tough-minded superintendent, and David Brown as a sympathetic police officer.
I have to admit, I liked both Charlie Bartlett the film and Charlie Bartlett the character. There's a certain sweetness to both of them that allows the film's message that the problems of young adults are ignored or minimized by those around them, including authority figures, to resonate with some emotional depth. Also, it's just plain funny.
[4 out of 5 stars]
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