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Stars indicate the most critically-acclaimed movies.
Charlie Bartlett
Mixed or average reviews
Based on 25 critic reviews
How did we calculate this?
Based on 35 votes
Read user comments
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Movie Info
Genre(s): Comedy
Written by: Gustin Nash
Directed by: Jon Poll
Release Date:
Theatrical: February 22, 2008
DVD: June 24, 2008
Running Time: 97 minutes, Color
Origin: USA
Summary
RATING: R for language, drug content and brief nudity
Starring Anton Yelchin, Robert Downey Jr., Hope Davis, Kat Dennings, Tyler Hilton, Ishan Davé, Megan Park, and Jonathan Malen
Charlie Bartlett, a wealthy, intelligent 17-year-old, has been kicked out of nearly every boarding school in town and is now enrolled in the local public high school, headed by the reluctant Principal Gardner. Initially struggling to find a place in the new school, Charlie eventually establishes himself as the supportive listener who dispenses well-needed advice, and the occasional prescription, to mixed-up teens. As intuitive Charlie befriends and emotionally influences nearly every student at Western Summit High, the entire school begins to transform into a very different place. (Kimmel International)
Also On The Web: Internet Movie Database View The Trailer Official Studio Site
What The Critics Said
All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...
The Hollywood Reporter Kirk Honeycutt
Yelchin delivers one of those performances that pop eyes... It's a breakthrough role.
Read Full Review >Variety Ronnie Scheib
Rollicking story of a rich kid whose wildly successful bid for popularity has him playing drug-distributing shrink to an entire high school boasts pitch-perfect faceoffs between upstart Anton Yelchin and alcoholic principal Robert Downey Jr. that could fuel a chemistry lab.
Read Full Review >ReelViews James Berardinelli
I would classify Charlie Bartlett as a smart teen film. It's more ambitious and overall more successful than its '80s forebears even though the resemblance is unmistakable.
Read Full Review >USA Today Claudia Puig
A refreshingly entertaining character study that refuses to dumb down its youthful cast or bury their concerns in service of a catchy soundtrack.
Read Full Review >Boston Globe Wesley Morris
What the movie lacks in technical polish (it's not very handsome-looking) and dramatic perfection, it makes up for in unusual social sophistication.
Read Full Review >Philadelphia Inquirer Steven Rea
With its rebellious themes and pharmaceutical props - Ritalin, Prozac, Xanax all get doled out - Charlie Bartlett isn't going to win any awards from parent-teacher groups. But the underlying message of the film, with its nods to "Catcher in the Rye" and - '70s throwback here - "Harold and Maude," is a good one.
Read Full Review >Chicago Reader Jonathan Rosenbaum
It reminded me of "Pump Up the Volume" in many ways.
Read Full Review >Wall Street Journal Joe Morgenstern
The film functions as a high-wire act that can leave you giddy with laughter.
Read Full Review >New York Post Lou Lumenick
Starts to get a bit preachy as it works its way toward a climax heavily influenced by "Rushmore," but it's still well above average for this type of film.
Read Full Review >Empire Sam Toy
After a strong start, the story ceases to challenge itself and its characters, offering easy options and a Prozac-soft finish.
Read Full Review >Village Voice Ella Taylor
Like most wannabe heroes of the eager-to-please teen comedy, poor little rich boy Charlie Bartlett (Anton Yelchin) is too charming by half and not nearly quirky enough.
Read Full Review >The New York Times Stephen Holden
If the attention span of Charlie Bartlett didn’t wander here and there, the movie might have been a high school satire worthy of comparison with Alexander Payne’s “Election.” But as it dashes around and eventually turns soft, it loses its train of thought.
Read Full Review >Portland Oregonian Marc Mohan
Instead of a unique directorial style and a memorable soundtrack, we get a movie that, visually and aurally, pretty much goes by the book.
Read Full Review >Entertainment Weekly Lisa Schwarzbaum
Robert Downey Jr. is an uncomfortable sight as the school's hard-drinking, overstressed principal.
Read Full Review >Austin Chronicle Marjorie Baumgarten
Sequences like the silly montage of Charlie on Ritalin (which just looks like the precious doodles of a former editor), grievously underdeveloped characters, and heavy heapings of sap instead of snark keep Charlie Bartlett from making the dean’s list.
Read Full Review >The Onion (A.V. Club) Scott Tobias
Watching Charlie Bartlett only makes Wes Anderson's work seem more accomplished by comparison, because it underscores that thin line separating the agreeably fanciful from the overbearingly precious.
Read Full Review >Charlotte Observer Lawrence Toppman
Decent acting forestalls the inevitable collapse for a long time.
Read Full Review >Los Angeles Times Carina Chocano
For the most part, it's an uneven if amiable and occasionally inspired comedy about getting through adolescence that hits some false notes along the way.
Read Full Review >The Globe and Mail (Toronto) Rick Groen
Actually, occasionally, does feel good. Now if only it had something to say.
Read Full Review >Baltimore Sun Chris Kaltenbach
Spending more time with Downey's character would have benefited this movie no end.
Read Full Review >Seattle Post-Intelligencer William Arnold
The dismal high school comedy Charlie Bartlett has the look, feel and sentiment of a made-for-video cheapie that might have been grudgingly whipped together by Robert Downey Jr. as some sort of court-ordered community service project for his many drug busts.
Read Full Review >Chicago Tribune Tasha Robinson
Are teenagers really supposed to identify with a clumsy caricature such as Charlie, who, in spite of all his expulsions and school crimes, comes across as a gawping, perpetually surprised infant in an adult body?
Read Full Review >What Our Users Said
The average user rating for this movie is 7.2 (out of 10) based on 35 User Votes
Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.
Joe Smoe gave it a10:
Are you kidding? This film was an excellent parody of life as an American teenager in today's world: oversexed, overmedicated, dysfunctional family dynamics, completely irrational school hierarchy - and witty, funny, creative, excellent acting all across the board!
Christian L. gave it a10:
Great movie with funny parts, powerful parts, and dramatic parts. Heavily underrated movie with great plot.
Nichole K. gave it a10:
This is my favorite movie. It was very funny and very good acting. It was a smart move to cast Robert Downing Jr., and the music and score was also very well done. Good job!
Craig G. gave it a6:
An entertaining film that has some very fun scenes, and some that pretty much fall flat. It tries to be more than it really is, but it still succeeds in deciphering many of the problems that a teenager faces.
Julia A. gave it a10:
This movie was sooooooo funny it has very good actors and actresses i don't know watch the other people were talkin about. if i were a real critic i'd give it a A-
chris M. gave it a10:
this is a beautiful film, with very good actors in my opinion robet downey jr should win best supporting oscar
Jester M. gave it a0:
This movie wasn't Ferris Bueller. It wasn't even Pump Up The Volume. It was a sad and pathetic attempt for a studio to cash in on the teen angst market which they have become so adept at exploiting. But who can blame them, when we have a teenage population in this country with the cultural force of a Paris Hilton song, who can blame the suits for trying to take full advantage of the situation. The sad thing our teen friends won't even lift their lazy heads high enough off of their Sidekick devices to actually care. It's not Nevermind anymore, it's Neverwhere.
