Charlie Bartlett

2008

1h 37m

IMDb RATING

6.7/10

673

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Comedy

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Awkward teenager Charlie Bartlett has trouble fitting in at a new high school. Charlie needs some friends fast, and decides that the best way to find them is to appoint himself the resident psychiatrist. He becomes one of the most popular guys in school by doling out advice and, occasionally, medication, to the student body.

Directors

Jon Poll

Writers

Gustin Nash(screenplay by)

Stars

Anton Yelchin

Robert Downey Jr.

Hope Davis

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Videos1

Trailer
Watch Charlie Bartlett Official Trailer #1 - Robert Downey Jr. Movie (2007) HD

Photos26

Top cast

Charlie Bartlett

Nathan Gardner

Marilyn Bartlett

Susan Gardner

Murphy Bivens

Kip Crombwell

Len Arbuckle

Whitney Drummond

Jordan Sunder

Dr. Stan Weathers

Henry Freemont

Officer Hansen

Thomas

Dean West

Kelly

Daisy

Priscilla

A…

Directors

Jon Poll

Writers

Gustin Nash(screenplay by)

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Review

Featured review

7/10

“Charlie” (Anton Yelchin) is the neglected rich kid who’s been thrown out of school so often that his mum (Hope Davis) resorts to him going to an ordinary school. Arriving in their stretched (and rather classy looking) old Mercedes bedecked in blazer and attaché case, he is quickly the plaything of school hard case “Bivens” (Tyler Hilton) only to be rescued by the principal “Gardner” (Robert Downey Jr.). Now spoilt he may be, but “Charlie” is no fool and after a few sessions with his own shrink, and the appreciation of just how empowering a little medication can be, he does a deal with his nemesis to go into business offering counselling services to his fellow pupils. One thing leads to another and his increasing awareness of their problems is used vicariously with his own doctor to procure not just medication but also treatments! Before we know it, he’s flavour of the month and even “Susan” (Kat Dennings) whose dad runs the place is becoming fond of him. Perhaps, though, he bites off a little more than he can chew when he starts to chat with the depressive “Kip” (Mark Rendall) and that leads to dangerous territory for all leaving “Charlie” having to rethink his priorities. Perhaps a new scheme might give him, and his schoolmates, a less toxic purpose? Yelchin just oozes charisma here as someone whom we ought to dislike becomes someone we actually quite like. Sure, he’s got no dad; his mum hasn’t really a clue and money is no object for him so we expect him to be a bit of a pratt, but you always feel that he just needs a stronger hand on his tiller - and who better than Downey Jr. whose character is not without some baggage of it’s own. The script is really quite fun at times and even when the romantic genes do kick in, it still manages to stay on the right side of sentimental as the engaging Yelchin delivers a characterfully mischievous performance that has just a little bit of the home truths to it, too. It’s tough to radically reinvent these teenage angsty style dramas, but this one emphasises more the characters and provides us with a decent story with less reliance on a soundtrack of AOR or power ballads. Downey Jr. does enough, and the others gel well to create something readily watchable and indicting of the whole pill-popping culture.

Geronimo196719 Feb, 2025