Title: Charlie BartlettDirector: Jon Poll
Starring: Anton Yelchin, Robert Downey Jr.
Release: February 22, 2008
Country: America
Genre: Comedy
Rated: R
First Viewing: May 28, 2009
Plot Synopsis
Charlie Bartlett finds his path to popularity in playing psychiatrist to his fellow students.
Reviews of this film are 50-50 and I have to admit that I can't choose a side either. On the one hand, I loved the characters, the humor, and the script. On the other hand, I was a bit disappointed in the rather flip-flopping tone, the undeveloped message, and the artificially happy ending.
While seriously reminiscent of the majority of teen angst films, noticeably Ferris Bueller, I thought Charlie Bartlett did modernize the archetype. I found it funny and contemporary that this kid wants to help his classmates with psychiatry. Therapy and pills are definitely this generation's version of knocking over mailboxes and smoking. The characters were strong, if a bit glossed over. I particularly enjoyed Charlie's mother, a role which had the potential to be a true travesty but ended up being a wonderfully subdued portrayal of a complex personality.
The good points of the film help the viewer sympathize with a kid who is illegally passing out pills in a high school boys' bathroom, a tough sell when you think about it. All of this made for a great foundation and a great beginning. But then the movie starts its wrap-up and that's when it lost me. Everything started coming together quickly and cleanly and I had to make quite a few intellectual leaps. Then again, that could just be because my husband was so disinterested in the film he kept annoying me.....
Rating: 3/5
I consider myself to be a fairly big movie fan, even if I don't actually get to see them until they come out on Netflix. I read Entertainment Weekly with a religious zeal. But I swear I don't have any recollection of this one at all! I appreciate the honest review...doubt I will order this one!
ReplyDeleteThis kept repeating on tv a few weeks ago. I think I saw the whole thing, even though it was out of order. Charlie reminded me of Ferris Bueller...although Ferris is much more of a classic.
ReplyDeleteI love what you said about this character modernizing the Ferris Bueller archetype. :-D I had mixed feelings about it too. I found myself losing interest as the movie went on and they started wrapping things up in a predictable fashion.
ReplyDeleteSandy - So many movies are released how can any of us keep up with all of them? :)
ReplyDeletesoftdrink - Charlie and Ferris definitely share some major commonalities, but Ferris was something new (to me). Maybe for those younger than me Charlie is their Ferris, something unique.
Stephanie - Exactly. I was hoping for something unique and in the end, we had the same old, same old.