Editor-turned-director Jon Poll delivers a haphazard yet enjoyable experience in his feature film debut.
I, for the most part, enjoyed Charlie Bartlett. I love high school dramas and this film feels like a return to form for the genre. While the film isn't without its flaws it does deliver quite an entertaining tale. Browse the list below for a more detailed perspective.
The Good:
-Actor Anton Yelchin reminds me of a young Michael J. Fox.
-Robert Downey Jr is excellent as always and a force in every scene.
-Almost all the characters are well rounded and develop somewhat naturally throughout the film.
-Hope Davis is great and Kat Dennings (Catherine Keener's daughter in The 40-Year Old Virgin) is pretty good.
-The return of the high school drama?
-That Indian dude from those Rogers My5 commercials.
The Bad:
-The Film has a hard time defining itself and changes its identity throughout.
-Takes risks in an attempt to be original when simply telling the story would provide a better film.
-Some characters are exaggerated to unlikely extremes.
-The film's message is a bit off; is selling prescription drugs really the giant leap to popularity in high school?
-There was a mouse in our theatre.
Charlie Bartlett feels a lot like a Patrick Dempsey high school flick from the 80's. I enjoyed the film quite a bit. However, I'm not sure it was due to its quality or my craving for more high school dramas.
One Sentence Review: Fun and enjoyable, albeit quite flawed. | 7.2/10
Have you caught Charlie Bartlett in theatres? Post a comment and tell me what you thought of it.
Cheers.
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