Review - Charlie Bartlett

Jon Poll's Charlie Bartlett is a film that can't quite decide what it wants to be: a comedy or a drama. It tries very hard to be both and very nearly succeeds although there are definitely some missteps. The film tells the story of Charlie Bartlett (obviously), a boy who has been kicked out of every private school in the area and thus must attend (gasp!) public school. After a run-in with the school bully on his first day, Charlie earns a place at the top of the high school hierarchy by opening up a make-shift psychiatrists office in the school bathroom ad counseling his fellow students between classes. Oh yeah, he also 'prescribes' them drugs....lots of drugs, which is not okay with the school principal (Robert Downey Jr.) who is also Charlie's new girlfriend's father.
The film features strong performances from all of the cast especially Yelchin and Downey. Yelchin turns in a great performance as the quirky, energetic Charlie. He pulls off troubled teenager equally as well as he captures the uncontrollable energy which defines Charlie and ultimately, the movie. Unfortunately, it's that exact unpredictability that makes the movie seem so uneven. At times the movie feels somewhat like a remake of Ferris Bueller's Day Off, but it struggles to also be a commentary on the neuroses of high school students.
Ultimately, the message of the film is somewhat unclear and there are several subplots, especially the one about Charlie's dad that seem tacked on for no particular reason and are never fully developed. However, there are some very strong scenes, most notably those involving Principal Gardner's breakdown towards the end of the film.
The majority of the characters in Charlie Bartlett are struggling to maintain control and as a result the movie loses any sense of restraint which may have made it a success. Instead, what it feels like is too many stories, too many characters, too many problems and not enough resolution.
It can either be looked at as an extremely irresponsible film which doesn't actually provide hope for its characters or it can be looked at as a commentary on the hopelessness of teenage existence. I am going to choose to look at it as the latter because, despite its flaws, Charlie Bartlett is a film that wants desperately to be liked just like its titular character. It has a certain charm that cannot be denied regardless of how flawed the execution is.