From Deseret News archives:
Charlie Bartlett
Film review
The role of "Charlie Bartlett" requires a charismatic, magnetic young actor — someone along the line of "Ferris Bueller's Day Off"-era Matthew Broderick.
But this teen comedy casts Anton Yelchin, a squeaky-voiced, less-than-endearing actor in the role. He's not very convincing as a rabble-rouser, mumbling his way through most of his lines.
That might not be as noticeable if he wasn't playing opposite Robert Downey Jr. Downey is another actor who would have made a perfect Charlie Bartlett back in the day, yet he's supposed to be the movie's sort-of villain.
As for the rest of the film, it's filled with similar missteps. While there are a few goofy moments, it turns much too serious about midway through and loses a lot of the initial good will as a result.
As played by Yelchin ("Alpha Dog"), Charlie is a privileged underachiever who's just been kicked out of another private school.
So, Charlie's ditzy socialite mother, Marilyn (a misused Hope Davis), enrolls him in a public school, where she's hoping he'll straighten up and make some friends.
Instead, he appoints himself as the Dr. Phil of the teen set and starts dispensing advice and medications to his classmates.
Needless to say, the school principal (Downey) isn't thrilled by that — or when Charlie begins dating his daughter, Susan (Kat Dennings).
The first-time filmmakers — director Jon Poll and screenwriter Gustin Nash — have clearly watched a lot of John Hughes teen comedies. Unfortunately, this movie feels like one of his weaker efforts.
And we never quite warm to Yelchin's somewhat smug Charlie. Frankly, Downey's well-meaning principal is the more sympathetic character, and Tyler Hilton receives most of the few chuckles as the school bully.
"Charlie Bartlett" is rated R for strong sexual language (profanity, crude slang and other sexually suggestive talk), drug content and references (prescription drug abuse), violence (bullying, beatings and some gunplay), a brief sex scene (implied), brief nudity (partial female nudity and nude art), and slurs based on sexual preference, as well as other derogatory language. Running time: 97 minutes.
E-mail: jeff@desnews.com
