Charlie Bartlett

by Dana Place

A film that would make John Hughes proud.

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Charlie Bartlett (Anton Yelchin) has issues.  His father is not around and his mother can barely cope with life.  It is up to him to be the adult of the family.  As a guy still in high school this isn’t as easy as it sounds.  Charlie has been kicked out of every private school he has ever attended and no one but his psychiatrist seems to notice.  His only alternative is the local public school, which proves a completely different experience for him.

Since he has essentially been running his family, he has trouble fitting in with teenagers who are still trying to act their age, something he wishes he could do. As luck would have it, he meets Susan Gardner (Kat Dennings), who teaches him how to loosen up and just be himself.  But first she has to help him find out who he really is.  To complicate things, she is the principal’s (Robert Downey Jr.) daughter, and Charlie’s delinquent past comes back to haunt him.

Rather than attempting to be unique and different, Charlie Bartlett is reminiscent of the ‘80s-era fan favorites that have seemingly disappeared. Director Jon Poll and writer Gustin Nash bring to the screen a film that could have easily starred the likes of a young Matthew Broderick, Molly Ringwald or John Cusack. It’s ideal for people who love Ferris Bueller’s Day Off and Say Anything.

Yelchin, with his effortless affability and charm, shines in the lead role. He is perfectly complemented by Dennings, who brings the very best out of his acting ability. The chemistry between them is absolutely spellbinding.  You won’t want to miss it. 

Check out Charlie Bartlett in theaters, buy it when it comes out on DVD, and pop it into your DVD player whenever you wonder what happened to the good old days of fun and heartwarming ‘80s films. Relish it while it is here and hope that there is more to come.