Watch Charlie Bartlett

Charlie Bartlett is a comedy-drama film that was released in 2007, directed by Jon Poll, and stars Anton Yelchin as Charlie, Robert Downey Jr. as the school principal, Nathan Gardner, and Hope Davis as Marilyn Bartlett, Charlie's mother. The movie is set in a typical American high school and it follows the life of a young teenager, Charlie Bartlett, who has just been expelled from his private school. Charlie is forced to attend a public high school where he experiences a different kind of education, fraught with all the usual high school drama - bullies, cliques and social isolation. Despite this, Charlie is determined to make the most of his new school and to make friends.

Soon enough, Charlie becomes popular by selling pills from his psychiatrist to his classmates. This leads to him being asked for help in many different areas, such as getting free drinks from a local bar, and his classmates start coming to him with their problems. Charlie becomes somewhat of a school therapist and surrogate son to his classmates’ parents who have difficulty dealing with their own children.

Charlie comes up with a plan to run for school president and use the school as a testing ground for his own ideas of helping students. When Charlie wins the election, he realizes that he is now responsible for the entire student body, something that he didn’t fully comprehend when he ran for the position.

The film tackles many themes that are focused on the issues of adolescence and growing up. These themes include self-acceptance, the importance of individuality, the need for love and acceptance, friendships, the pressure of fitting in and the importance of education. These are all prevalent throughout the movie, as Charlie navigates through the difficult path of adolescence and the need to feel comfortable in his own skin.

Charlie Bartlett has an outstanding cast of actors who bring the characters to life. Anton Yelchin delivers a brilliant performance as Charlie as he moves from being an outsider to the school’s most popular student. Robert Downey Jr. also gives an impressive performance as the school’s principal, Nathan Gardner, who struggles with his own addiction and his responsibilities as a guardian of the students he is supposed to supervise. Hope Davis plays the role of Marilyn Bartlett, Charlie’s mother and a woman who has her own personal issues to tackle.

The movie also incorporates its own unique sense of humor. The use of comedy is subtle yet effective and there are many moments of laughter throughout the film that help to relieve the tension created by the more serious themes.

Overall, Charlie Bartlett is a touching and heartfelt movie that delves into the complexities of growing up and the hardships of being a teenager. It is a movie that appeals to all ages as it is relatable to everyone, including parents who once struggled with adolescence themselves. It is a film that is well worth watching as it is a charming and funny coming-of-age story that is both entertaining and insightful.

Charlie Bartlett is a 2007 comedy with a runtime of 1 hour and 36 minutes. It has received moderate reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 6.9 and a MetaScore of 54.