Review of Charlie Bartlett (2008) by Caleb M — 08 May 2009

Charlie Bartlett is the real deal: a film destined to be something of a cult classic. The film is full of flaws; tacky dialog, a predictable plot, occasional poor acting, and a mood that can feel a bit mean-spirited at times. Despite these flaws, the film has a bunch of things that work as well; Robert Downey Jr. is pitch-perfect as a drunken school principal, the film's soundtrack is full of off-beat tunes and teen angst, and the film's style feels like something caught between a lost 80s John Huges film and a modern teen comedy like American Pie.

Anton Yelchin has a hard time with some lines, and his character has a few moments that become entriley unbelieable, but the fact that he looks like a young Kevin Bacon and the rest of the film is so uneven help to compensate for his performance's shoddy moments. Davis is excellent as his mother, essentially a teenage girl in a grown woman's body, but Kat Dennings didn't work for me. Sorry, this is a personal thing and not really a "critical" moment, but she is not attractive, and when her and Charlie have sex it is not only a far-fetched scene, but a bit disgusting.

Overall, the film is wildly uneven, but I found it very entertaining with a real desire to address issues of individuality and teen problems. Not everything works, but that becomes part of the film's oddball charm in the end.