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Here we go again – another teenage high school comedy that encourages drinking, drugs, cursing, sex and gratuitous nudity … right?
Wrong. Well sort of.
Even though “Charlie Bartlett” includes most of these elements, it deals with them in a smarter, more sophisticated way. Along with the cliché issues teens supposedly deal with, it takes on several other serious ones such as suicide and depression.
Charlie attempts to find his place in the social realm of high school life. After being kicked out of several private institutions, he winds up at a public school where, at first, he does not fit in. Throughout the rest of the movie, Charlie attempts to become popular and socially elite. He does this by providing psychiatric help and even prescription drugs to the student body.
While a bit over-the-top at points, this story line brings a new and intriguing twist to an overplayed genre.
The acting in the film is subpar, with the exception of Anton Yelchin (Charlie) and Robert Downey Jr. (Principal Gardner).
Yelchin basically creates a modern-day Ferris Bueller, a soft-spoken yet obnoxious and confused teenager everyone loves except for the principal. Although Yelchin in essence copied a character that has been done before, he pulls it off, bringing emotional depth to the role.
Downey Jr. plays a perfect role that is shaped by his own experiences. He plays the depressed, alcoholic Gardner ,and everything from his diction down to his movements are perfect in releasing the true character.
Both newcomers, director Jon Poll and writer Gustin Nash, show promise with “Charlie Bartlett.”
In just his second movie as a director, Poll displays a great talent for following a story line. He tries to add a touch of artistic design to the movie but fails, making it a straightforward film with no innovative cinematography.
Only 28, Nash has written a smart and sexy dark comedy that is sure to please audiences. He attempts to get to the hearts of teenagers and not just make them laugh with senseless slapstick comedy. His wit and comedy will hopefully follow into future projects.
Overall “Charlie Bartlett” is a decent film that should please those who miss the days of teen movies with substance, not nonsense.
Michael Bestic can be reached at [email protected].
