Review of Charlie Bartlett (2008) by Jim H — 06 Jun 2011

A young misfit who dreams of being "the popular one" holds counseling sessions and sells anti-depressants to his high school classmates.

There's a lot to like about Anton Yelchin's performance, and Robert Downey Jr. has the ability to make it seem like every part he plays was written for him.

But the film as a whole is a bit confusing, stuck between The Breakfast Club and satire. By the end of the film, I didn't know if I was supposed to celebrate these characters or see the film as condemning the society that produces drug addicts by stuffing teenagers full of Prozac.

Overall, Charlie Bartlett is fun to watch, but I can't tell what it's saying.