The Phoenix Network:
The Phoenix
Boston
|
Portland
|
Providence
Stuff@Night
WFNX
Live Radio
|
On Demand
Adult
About
|
Advertise
Moonsigns
|
Band Guide
|
Blogs
|
In Pictures
Movies
Features
|
Reviews
-->
Be Kind Rewind
Renewal
Reviews
Charlie Bartlett
A rich kid on the road to comeuppance
By
TOM MEEK
|
February 20, 2008
CHARLIE BARTLETT
" alt="photo of 'CHARLIE BARTLETT'">
2.5
Stars
Anton Yelchin and Robert Downey Jr.
Hollywood loves to send rich kids on the road to comeuppance, from
The Magnificent Ambersons
to
Ferris Buehler’s Day Of
f and
Igby Goes Down
. They’re all confronted with the same question — why do kids who’ve been given so much squander their golden opportunities? Is it lack of love? A festering family secret? Charlie Bartlett (Anton Yelchin, the victim in
Alpha Dog
) has been kicked out of a string of prep schools and is now going public — chauffeur, coat and tie, and all. Sure enough, he gets his ass beat, but when he starts dealing in Ritalin, Zoloft, and life coaching, he becomes a superstar and a thorn in the side of Principal Gardner (Robert Downey Jr.), a situation that’s exacerbated when he starts dating Gardner’s daughter, Susan (Kat Dennings). Director Jon Poll and writer Gustin Nash don’t offer a fresh spin on the material. Yelchin, however, can claim a breakthrough, and Hope Davis adds sass as Charlie’s pill-popping mom.
93 minutes | Boston Common + Fenway + Fresh Pond + Circle/Chestnut Hill + suburbs
Related
:
A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints
The familiar story of a neighborhood kid
Patty Larceny
The career of Patricia Clarkson
Autumn peeves
Films with a full agenda
More
A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints
The familiar story of a neighborhood kid
Patty Larceny
The career of Patricia Clarkson
Autumn peeves
Films with a full agenda
Apocalypse now and then
Doom, damnation, and other summer fun
Spring brakes
Spring Arts Preview: Some diversions before the summer onslaught
Fractured fairy tales
Fantasy and reality compete for the box office in 2007
Fake Fur
Steven Shainberg makes over Diane Arbus
Fest or famine?
This year’s Boston Film Festival has a woman’s touch
Fall back
This season, Hollywood lives in the past
The Boston Phoenix–Alumni Film Critics’ Poll
Our first-ever round-up of the past year’s best movies, with a little help from our friends
Less
Topics
:
Reviews
,
Anton Yelchin
,
Robert Downey Jr.
,
Hope Davis
,
More
,
Anton Yelchin
,
Robert Downey Jr.
,
Hope Davis
,
Kat Dennings
,
Less
Share
:
Rss
Email
Print
Comments
Add a Comment
Today's Event Picks
[THEATER]
TIP OF THE SCROOGE-BERG: A CHRISTMAS CAROL
Plus 6 more >>
ARTICLES BY TOM MEEK
THE HAUNTING OF MOLLY HARTLEY
| November 05, 2008
A flimsy ghostly-possession puff piece
ROCKNROLLA
| November 06, 2008
Plot holes spackled over with slick visual wizardry
SAW V
| October 31, 2008
The previous entries have bled dry every variation on tormenting a victim
SEX DRIVE
| October 15, 2008
The usual preoccupation with nut sacks and virgins
QUARANTINE
| October 15, 2008
About as scary as a creaky door
See all articles by:
TOM MEEK
MOST POPULAR
Most Viewed
Most Emailed
MENINO'S MOSQUE
The bizarre story behind the construction of Boston's most controversial building
DIVIDE AND BE CONQUERED
The GOP relied on talk radio to carry its water, but votes are worth more than ratings
FAIR IS FOUL
What's the fuss over the Fairness Doctrine really about?
SIMPLE BLOOD
Twilight puts the life back into the undead
FREE PASS ON GAY HATRED?
Turning a blind eye
MENINO'S MOSQUE
The bizarre story behind the construction of Boston's most controversial building
THE IMPEACHINATOR
Watchdog Fein
SYMPATHY FOR THE DEVIL
Stoppard's Rock 'n' Roll at the Huntington; McPherson's The Seafarer at SpeakEasy
DIVIDE AND BE CONQUERED
The GOP relied on talk radio to carry its water, but votes are worth more than ratings
FAIR IS FOUL
What's the fuss over the Fairness Doctrine really about?
HOT TOPICS
Daniel Day-Lewis
,
Jack Black
,
Michael Clayton
,
Michael Haneke
,
Osama bin Laden
,
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
,
Michael Jackson
,
Paris Hilton
,
Paul Thomas Anderson
,
Tommy Lee Jones
More Topics
. . .
LATEST SLIDESHOWS
Photos: Smashing Pumpkins at the Wang Theatre
Photos: AC-DC at TD Banknorth Garden
All Slideshows
Explore your Fantasies
Featured Articles in Features
:
Interview: Danny Boyle
Slumdog slumming?
Tiger by the tail
The wild and woolly cinema of John Boorman
Empowerment on Two Wheels
JP cyclists reach out to Africa
Ends of the earth
The 20th Boston Jewish Film Festival reaches deep and far
Drowning in a sea of red
Seeing Saw
Friday, November 21, 2008
|
Sign In
|
Register
thePhoenix.com:
Home
Listings
Editor's Picks
News
Music
Film + TV
Food + Drink
Life
Arts
Rec Room
Video
Phoenix Media/Communications Group:
Boston Phoenix
Portland Phoenix
Providence Phoenix
StuffAtNight
People2People
MassWeb Printing
G8Wave
About Us
Contact Us
Advertise With Us
Work For Us
Sitemap
RSS
Mobile
TODAY'S FEATURED ADVERTISERS
Copyright © 2008 The Phoenix Media/Communications Group