Charlie Bartlett has been kicked out of every private school he has ever attended. And now that he has enrolled in public school, he is in way over his head, or so he first thinks. Discovering that those around him are in desperate need, his instinctive entrepreneurial skills quickly take over as he finds his niche as the school's unlicensed shrink. Taking the pills that he is given at his own psychiatric session, Bartlett helps his schoolmates and becomes the most popular and influential student on campus. But everything hits a roadblock when Bartlett falls for the independent, rebel daughter of the school's Principal. As Charlie's world inside the school begins to unravel, he begins to learn that there is more to making a difference than handing out pills and being everyone's best friend.
Combining three strong performances and a story unlike any other Charlie Bartlett outperforms its foreseen potential and gives its audience something to sit back and truly enjoy.
The best part of this film is its cast. Riding on the stellar performance of somewhat unknown Anton Yelchin, Charlie Bartlett propels into the greatness that it's writing and directing call for. However the acting talent goes much further than Yelchin as both Robert Downey Jr. and Hope Davis give incredible, yet expected, performances that solidify themselves as two of the best "˜unknown' actors in Hollywood. Davis, who is most known for her numerous supporting roles, plays Bartlett's mother, bringing an insecure, push-over to the big screen in fine fashion. Her tone and body language are unmistakable as she proves that the best supporting actors are those that encompass their character and draw little to no attention to themselves. And then we have the always interesting Robert Downey Jr. Known more for his battle with alcohol and drugs, Downey shows viewers why he became an actor as he plays the self-conscious school principal perfectly. Together the three actors work together, creating a strong sense of chemistry and blowing its audience away in what could possibly serve as the sleeper hit of 2008.
However, I have to give credit where credit is due and this time it goes to the screenwriter Gustin Nash and director Jon Poll. As for Gustin Nash, I must commend him for his clever use of dialogue and the calming flow that he brings to his film. The way he words things and the conversations that he creates between Charlie and his mom are truly classic and will surely be remembered many years from now. But it doesn't matter how great a script it is if there isn't a talented director to transfer it onto the big screen, then it will surely fail; however Jon Poll did his job and sold the story on the big screen. Using a wide array of angles and relying on simplicity and realness the film propels far beyond everyone's expectations, creating a raw experience at the movies.
While a great cast and a clever story yells success, it doesn't always end up that way. Luckily for fans Charlie Bartlett mixed and matched perfectly, resulting in a film that could easily fly under the radar but should be missed by no one.
