For high school movies, the 1980s were a golden age. Ferris Bueller terrorized the streets of Chicago, the Breakfast Club ruled Saturday detention, and various transformations of Molly Ringwald typified the star-crossed teenage lover. But where is the cinematographic representation of our generation's suppressed high school memories?
"Charlie Bartlett" outshines this year's "Juno" and even (gasp) 2004's "Mean Girls" due to its long-overdue, true-to-life portrayal of what it's like to exist as a teenager in an age where, as Charlie puts it, "you can download porn off the Internet." He's not a pregnant teenager, not a satirized "queen bee" - he's just one of the many trying to fit in.
Charlie (played by Anton Yelchin), an only child with well-to-do parents, has been kicked out of every private school he has attended due to one particular fantasy. He pictures himself standing on stage above a sea of screaming teenage fans. In order to make his dreams a reality, he tends to utilize questionable methods (i.e. manufacturing fake IDs and giving them out for free) to gain popularity. Finally, he lands himself in a public school ruled by Principal Gardner (Robert Downey, Jr.), where he meets the fist of the school, bully Murphey (Tyler Hilton) and the glances of the principal's daughter Susan (Kat Dennings) on the first day of school.
Although his experiences at school are less than desirable, Charlie's home life is complex, to say the least. At the moment, his father is nonexistent, and Charlie lives in the family mansion with his mother (Hope Davis), who self-medicates with alcohol. After suffering from the all-too-common symptoms of attending high school - mild depression, distraction and daydreaming - the family's on-call psychiatrist prescribes Charlie Ritalin. That should solve all his problems, right?
And that it does. Charlie goes into business selling Ritalin, and whatever other drugs he convinces various psychiatrists to prescribe him, to kids who actually need them. Naturally, he deciphers their psychological ailments during therapy sessions, which he holds in the boys' bathroom stalls. This brings home an often-overlooked point, in high school or in college for that matter: drug dealers always have lots of friends.
Charlie is the most complex, hilarious, lovable, and most importantly, real high school character to hit theaters in years. Yelchin brings a type of optimism and sincerity to the role that truly makes the film. His abilities continue to shock and amaze the audience throughout, as he exhibits a tremendous range of comedic and dramatic ability.
Unlike in most high school movies, Yelchin is actually a 17-year-old playing a 17-year-old. He and Dennings have incredible on-screen chemistry, and it is almost impossible to believe that they are both so young. The young age of the majority of the cast contributes to the strength of the film. It is not a film satirizing the struggles of teenage life, but rather is portraying them realistically. As most of us know personally, that in itself can be downright hilarious.
Downey, Jr. is also stellar as the disillusioned principal desperately trying to gain control over his own life, let alone a high school full of unruly kids. His interactions with Charlie are hysterical, while his relationship with his daughter is truly touching. "Charlie Bartlett," quite uniquely doesn't portray the parents as enemies, but rather confused souls with their hearts in the right place - quite a lot like their children.
Charlie brings to light issues often overlooked by our straight-to-the-psychiatrist society. Through the countless bathroom stall sessions, the audience sees the problems of high school students who don't need drugs or professional help but just the support of their parents and peers.
This film breaks the typical teen movie mold, bringing various predicaments of teenage life (drugs, sex, parents and friendships) together instead of focusing on or satirizing just one. Even more importantly, it doesn't sugarcoat the situations to try for a PG-13 rating. The film is daring in its truthfulness; it is not afraid to point out some deeply rooted societal flaws in the midst of a laugh-out-loud comedy.
