Charlie Bartlett

This article is about the 2007 film. For details of the fictional soap character named Charlie Bartlett, seeSons and Daughters (Australian TV series).

Charlie Bartlett
Theatrical release poster
Directed by	Jon Poll
Written by	Gustin Nash
Produced by	Sidney Kimmel Barron Kidd Jay Roach David Permut
Starring	Anton Yelchin Hope Davis Kat Dennings Robert Downey Jr. Tyler Hilton
Cinematography	Paul Sarossy
Edited by	Alan Baumgarten
Music by	Christophe Beck
Production companies	SKE Everyman Pictures Texon Entertainment Permut Presentations
Distributed by	Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer(through MGM Distribution Co.)
Release dates	May 1, 2007(2007-05-01)(Tribeca) February 22, 2008(2008-02-22)(United States)
Running time	97 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English
Budget	$12 million
Box office	$5.2 million

Charlie Bartlettis a 2007 Americancoming-of-agecomedy-dramafilm directed byJon Poll.The screenplay byGustin Nashfocuses on a teenager who begins to dispensetherapeutic adviceandprescriptiondrugs to the student body at his new high school in order to become popular.

The film premiered at theTribeca Film Festivalon May 1, 2007, and was shown at theCannes Film Market,theMaui Film Festival,and theCambridge Film Festivalbefore going into theatrical release in the United States and Canada on February 22, 2008. The film received mixed reviews from critics and grossed just $5 million against its $12 million budget.

Plot

The son of a depressed but doting mother (Hope Davis) and a father who is serving time fortax evasion,wealthy teenager Charlie Bartlett (Anton Yelchin) — after being expelled from several private academies for various infractions — enrolls in a public school run by embittered alcoholic Principal Nathan Gardner (Robert Downey Jr.), who was formerly a history teacher. Unable to fit in with most of his fellow students, Charlie is diagnosed withADHD.He forms an alliance with school bully Murphy Bivens (Tyler Hilton) and offers him half the proceeds from the sale of a variety of prescription drugs Charlie obtains by feigning physical and emotional symptoms during sessions with different psychiatrists.

Before long, Charlie's natural charm and likability positions him as the school's resident therapist, offering advice and drugs within the confines of the boys' bathroom. Charlie's social life noticeably improves as he gains the confidence and admiration of the student body and begins to date the principal's rebellious daughter, Susan (Kat Dennings).

Complications arise when seriously depressed Kip Crombwell (Mark Rendall)attempts suicideby swallowing a handful ofanti-depressantsprovided by Charlie. Charlie befriends Kip after having an in-depth conversation with Principal Gardner. Charlie discovers Kip is writing a play about adolescent issues and pitches it to Gardner who is, at first, unsure but agrees when Kip says that it would make him less inclined to attempt suicide again. Charlie decides to stop selling drugs to students but continues to provide free therapy.

One day, Charlie comes by Susan's house to pick her up for a date and he gives her a pharmacy bag. Mr. Gardner comes out and, thinking the bag contains drugs, attempts to grab Susan's to make her go into the house. Charlie warns Mr. Gardner not to touch Susan, but he pushes Charlie instead. Charlie then punches Gardner as a reflex, and even though he tries to apologize, the principal is not forgiving. Susan and Charlie drive off, and the bag turns out to contain anicotine gumto help Susan quit smoking cigarettes.

That night, a large group of students are all in thestudent loungewhen the police arrive. They arrest Charlie forassault,and the kids riot and trash the lounge building to protest Charlie's arrest. As a result, Principal Gardner is fired. Charlie is released, and before the play, stops by Mr. Gardner's house to invite him. Charlie finds Mr. Gardner heavily intoxicated and waving arevolver.They get into a heated argument which culminates in Charlie falling into the pool after attempting to tackle Mr. Gardner, thinking he is about to commit suicide. Mr. Gardner, appearing sober, comes to his senses and dives into the pool to save Charlie and states that he was not attempting to commit suicide because he has too many responsibilities to do such a thing. They talk over their problems about Charlie's father and Susan, and then go to the play. Mr. Gardner takes up his old job as a history teacher again (and is now much happier), and Charlie finally gains the confidence to visit his father in prison (something he had felt uncomfortable about earlier in the film). The film ends with Charlie applying for a summer internship at apsychiatric institute.

Cast

• Anton Yelchinas Charlie Bartlett
• Kat Denningsas Susan Gardner
• Robert Downey Jr.as Nathan Gardner
• Tyler Hiltonas Murphy Bivens
• Hope Davisas Marilyn Bartlett
• Mark Rendallas Kip Crombwell
• Jake Epsteinas Dustin Lauderbach
• Megan Parkas Whitney Drummond
• Lauren Collinsas Kelly
• Derek McGrathas Superintendent Sedgwick
• Stephen Youngas Dr. Stan Weathers
• Abby Zotz as Mrs. Crombwell
• Drakeas A/V Jones
• Sarah Gadonas Priscilla
• Dylan Tayloras Len Arbuckle

The film features four of the thenDegrassicast members as Charlie's fellow students:Jake Epstein(Craig Manning),Lauren Collins(Paige Michalchuk),Drake(Jimmy Brooks), andIshan Davé(Linus).

Production

The film was shot on location inTorontoas well as atParkwood EstateinOshawa,Ontario andTrafalgar Castle SchoolinWhitby,Ontario. It was also filmed atWestern Technical-Commercial School,where parts ofBilly Madison,Fever Pitch,Ice Princess,Alley Cats Strike,andBeing Ericawere shot.

Soundtrack

The soundtrack toCharlie Bartlettwas released on January 1, 2008.

No.	Title	Artist	Length
1.	"Charlie's Monologue"	Monologue	1:22
2.	"Charlie's Theme"	Christophe Beck	0:51
3.	"Tennis"	Christophe Beck	1:01
4.	"Unnecessary Trouble"	Hard-Fi	1:01
5.	"Visiting Hours"	Christophe Beck	1:17
6.	"Selling Dvds"	Christophe Beck	0:55
7.	"Charlie & Shrinks"	Dialogue	0:50
8.	"Pusherman"	Curtis Mayfield	5:02
9.	"Jazz It Up"	Christophe Beck	1:58
10.	"Prescription Flush"	Christophe Beck	0:58
11.	"Cameras Going Up"	Christophe Beck	0:38
12.	"First Kiss"	Christophe Beck	1:16
13.	"Oh Yeah"	The Subways	2:57
14.	"Kip Overdoses"	Christophe Beck	2:14
15.	"Voodoo"	Spiral Beach	3:26
16.	"Passing Notes"	Christophe Beck	1:07
17.	"This Is a School, Not a Prison"	Christophe Beck	1:19
18.	"New Clouds, Not Clouds"	Spiral Beach	3:41
19.	"Gardner Hits Bottom"	Christophe Beck	1:19
20.	"Day Ok"	Spiral Beach	2:18
21.	"Seat on This Train"	Tom Freund	4:22
22.	"You're Not Alone"	Christophe Beck	3:26
23.	"Dr. Bartlett"	Christophe Beck	1:44
24.	"If You Want to Sing Out, Sing Out"	Cat Stevens(Performed byKat Dennings)	2:09
Total length:			47:11

Critical reception

OnRotten Tomatoesthe film holds an approval rating of 58% based on 132 reviews, with an average rating of 5.8/10. The website's critical consensus reads: "With engaging performances marked by an inconsistent tone,Charlie Bartlettis a mixed bag of clever teen angst comedy and muddled storytelling. "Metacriticassigned the film a weighted average score 54 out of 100, based on 25 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews".

Stephen HoldenofThe New York Timeswrote "If the attention span ofCharlie Bartlettdidn't wander here and there, the movie might have been a high school satire worthy of comparison withAlexander Payne'sElection.But as it dashes around and eventually turns soft, it loses its train of thought... [and] never coalesces into the character-driven, serious comedy with heart that you want it be. "

David Wiegandof theSan Francisco Chroniclecommented: "The script is adequate, although screenwriter Nash has created one distasteful character after another, and there's barely a ripple of relieving humor in the entire film... The material might have worked better if the filmmakers had adopted a satirical tone, or even if they'd gone the wholeAmerican Pieroute. Instead, the film grinds on with only a few bright moments. The big problem, though, isn't the script but rather the direction and, specifically, the plodding pace of the film. That's surprising, given that first-time director Jon Poll has a background in film editing. It may have something to do with knowing pretty much what will happen from one moment to the next, but you keep wanting Poll and his cast to get on with things, or at least, energize the film some way or another. The tone is often just turgid... Yet, for all its problems, the film is often sincere, often earnest... You'll find yourself rooting for the filmmakers in spite of yourself, and, more to the point, in spite of the mistakes they've made. "

Jonathan Rosenbaum of theChicago Readercalled the film "a rebellious teen comedy that isn't as good or as radical asPump Up the Volume,but still feels like a shot in the arm and is full of irreverent energy. "He added," Despite an ineffectual subplot about the hero's absent father, there are some good satirical riffs here on adult hypocrisies (with Robert Downey Jr. especially good as the beleaguered, alcoholic school principal), a few echoes of the underratedMumford,and lots of high spirits. "

Darrell Hartmann of theNew York Sunsaid, "John Poll's rebellious-teen comedy falls well below the high bar set by recent genre hitsJunoandSuperbad.An anything-goes kookiness pervades the first half, but the film then takes a trite turn that only serves to highlight its unlikely premise. "

David Balzer ofToronto Life,rating it three out of five stars, called it "a cool trip down teen dramedy lane, but one senses the film could be a lot smarter. Bartlett's drug selling, it turns out, is not the main subject of the movie; 'messed-up people' are, and this causes Charlie Bartlett to lean on psychobabble about disaffection that it initially tries so hard to mock. The film's use ofCat Stevens's anthem fromHarold and Maude,'If You Want to Sing Out, Sing Out,' encapsulates its problems; instead of acting as a wry expression of Bartlett's dark philosophy, the song becomes the kind of pat message of self-empowerment that drives teens to Prozac in the first place. "

Home media

MGM Home Entertainmentreleased the film on Region 1 DVD on June 24, 2008. Viewers have the option of watching it infullscreen(with optional commentary by Jon Poll and Gustin Nash) oranamorphic widescreen(with optional commentary by Poll, Anton Yelchin, and Kat Dennings) format. It has audio tracks and subtitles in English and Spanish. Bonus features includeRestroom Confessionalsand a music video by Spiral Beach.

External links

• Official website
• Charlie BartlettatIMDb
• Charlie BartlettatRotten Tomatoes
• Charlie BartlettatMetacritic