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(About Our Ads) "CHARLIE BARTLETT" (2008) (Anton Yelchin, Robert Downey, Jr.) (R) Alcohol/ Drugs Blood/Gore Disrespectful/ Bad Attitude Frightening/ Tense Scenes Guns/ Weapons Extreme Minor Heavy Mild Mild Imitative Behavior Jump Scenes Music (Scary/Tense) Music (Inappropriate) Profanity Heavy None None *Minor Extreme Sex/ Nudity Smoking Tense Family Scenes Topics To Talk About Violence Heavy Heavy Heavy Extreme Moderate QUICK TAKE: Dramedy: After being kicked out of yet another private school, a teenager takes to selling prescription drugs and advice to his fellow public school students, all as a means of both making money and fitting in. PLOT: Charlie Bartlett (ANTON YELCHIN) is a 17-year-old with a penchant for concocting such outrageous schemes that he's just been kicked out of the last private school in the area. With his dad gone and his mom, Marilyn (HOPE DAVIS), not exactly the best role model around, Charlie copes with his feelings of not fitting in by trying to befriend everyone. That's a good tactic, because things don't initially appear promising at Western Summit High School, a public institution run by Principal Gardner (ROBERT DOWNEY JR.) where bullies such as Murphey Bivens (TYLER HILTON) don't think highly of preppy kids such as Charlie, and thus beat him up. In fact, everyone is aghast when Charlie sits with mentally challenged student Len Arbuckle (DYLAN TAYLOR) at lunch. Yet, Charlie has ulterior motives as he then uses the hulking kid to put Murphey is his place, and then proposes a business arrangement with the bully. Since Charlie is already seeing a number of psychiatrists, and realizes his classmates aren't getting the help they need, he proposes that he and Murphey sell the other teens various forms of prescription medication. Setting up office in the school bathroom, Murphey dispenses the drugs and Charlie the advice, soon drawing the likes of promiscuous cheerleader Whitney (MEGAN PARK), depressed kid Kip (MARK RENDALL), and even Principal Gardner's daughter, Susan (KAT DENNINGS), as paying customers. When his popularity suddenly increases and he starts dating Susan, Charlie draws her alcoholic dad's attention, thus leading to a number of confrontations between the two, with the student body standing firmly behind their new prescription and psychology guru. WILL KIDS WANT TO SEE IT? Older teens might be drawn to the story, while fans of anyone in the cast might also be interested in it. WHY THE MPAA RATED IT: R For language, drug content and brief nudity. CAST AS ROLE MODELS: ANTON YELCHIN plays a 17-year-old who's always getting into trouble and thus is repeatedly kicked out of school for his creative ways of acting up and/or making money. Wanting to fit in at his first public school, he ends up selling prescription drugs and advice to his fellow students. He uses strong profanity, loses his virginity to Susan, and is upset about his dad being in prison. ROBERT DOWNEY JR. plays the school principal, an alcoholic who uses profanity and must deal with his daughter, Charlie and the rest of student body. HOPE DAVIS plays Charlie's somewhat flighty and less than engaged mom who drinks and uses brief strong profanity. KAT DENNINGS plays the principal's daughter who uses strong profanity, smokes, and has sex with Charlie. TYLER HILTON plays the resident school tough guy who smokes, uses strong profanity, and is initially mean to Charlie, but eventually goes into business with him. MARK RENDALL plays a depressed student who thinks he's a freak and doesn't fit in, and thus tries to overdose. DYLAN TAYLOR plays a mentally challenged kid who befriends Charlie, with the latter using him as his "muscle" to deal with Murphey. MEGAN PARK plays a sexually promiscuous cheerleader who uses Charlie's "office" to confess about her behavior, insecurities and such. CAST, CREW, & TECHNICAL INFO HOW OTHERS RATED THIS MOVIE Curious if this title is entertaining, any good, and/or has any artistic merit? Then read OUR TAKE of this film. (Note: The "Our Take" review of this title examines the film's artistic merits and does not take into account any of the possibly objectionable material listed below). OUR WORD TO PARENTS: The following is a brief summary of the content found in this R-rated dramedy. Profanity consists of at least 18 "f" words, while other expletives and colorful phrases are also uttered. Sexually related dialogue is present, as is a partially seen sexual encounter (where a teen loses his virginity). Several bare-breasted women are briefly seen running down a school hallway while high, a teenager is seen in just his underwear in the same state, while a teenage girl is noted as being promiscuous. Violence includes a bully beating up a fellow student, that victim later punching the school principal, and students trashing an outdoor lounge area. A few moments might be a little unsettling for some viewers, all sorts of behavior might be enticing for kids to imitate, and varying degrees of bad attitudes are present. A student sells prescription drugs to his classmates and he and some of them are high from that, while smoking and drinking also occur (and the school principal is noted as being an alcoholic). All sorts of thematic elements are present, as are various instances of tense family material, while brief crude material occurs. Should you still be concerned about the film's appropriateness for yourself or anyone else in your home, you may want to look more closely at our detailed listings for more specific information regarding the film's content. ALCOHOL OR DRUG USE Marilyn has wine, and then takes some prescription pills with that. Principal Gardner has a drink. We see Murphey seemingly trying to convince a kid to buy drugs in the school bathroom. The family psychiatrist prescribes Charlie Ritalin, but it ends up making him hyperactive and nearly high. Marilyn has wine and then talks of wanting to go wine tasting with Charlie. While unintentionally high on Ritalin, Charlie runs around outside in just his underwear and tennis shoes. After the police show up, one cop says that the drug can get people high, with Marilyn saying that when she was in college, they dropped tablets of acid. Charlie rattles off a number of reasons Murphey acts like a punk, including his father boozing. Charlie and Murphey go into business selling prescription drugs to other students (with Charlie going to various psychiatrists and faking various symptoms, and the two then dispensing the drugs in the school bathroom). After selling prescription drugs to other students at a dance, Charlie and Murphey spot two bare-breasted teens running down the hallway, and then crazed and high students in the auditorium. Marilyn has wine. During a montage of student confessions, one says all he wants to do is drop acid. Murphey's friend has a beer. Principal Gardner comments on teens and psychiatric drugs being an obvious mix. Principal Gardner orders another drink in a bar. Incredulous about the way he's acting, Susan asks her dad if he's drunk. Principal Gardner has a drink and is then seen presumably intoxicated while operating a toy remote control boat in his pool. Susan says that her dad's job turned him into an alcoholic. Susan comments on when her mom had an affair, which lead to Principal Gardner being plastered, waving around a .38 revolver, and threatening to kill himself. There's some beer drinking at a concert, including by the high school football quarterback. Kip appears suicidal and we see him take some drugs. Principal Gardner then reports to Charlie that Kip overdosed, but is alive. Principal Gardner has a drink. Principal Gardner has a drink, and is then seen intoxicated, holding a bottle of booze. With Charlie there, he twice fires a handgun into his pool (hitting his toy boat) and then once into the air. When he holds it up by his head (not pointed at it), Charlie rushes him, but then falls into the pool where he hits his head on the diving board and then sinks, motionless. Principal Gardner then dives in and saves him. Principal Gardner then tells him, "Never ever attack a drunk guy with a gun." BLOOD/GORE Charlie does a monologue while auditioning for a school play, doing a bit about a girl getting her period. He talks (from her view) of blood gushing from "you know where," that her dad didn't know how to react to that, and that fast food napkins aren't something you want to stick up your "hootch." Charlie has a black eye after Murphey beats him up. During a montage of Murphey beating up other students in the past, one of them might have a bloody nose. Cautioning Charlie about doing anything wrong with Susan, Principal Gardner warns, "I will take a massive steaming dump on your life." DISRESPECTFUL/BAD ATTITUDE We see that Charlie has created many fake I.D.s for students at his past school (and that gets him expelled). Learning that, Marilyn tries to bribe the headmaster with an "endowment" (but is refused). Murphey (and another kid) initially doesn't like Charlie for being a preppy kid. He not only beats him up (and dunks his head in a toilet), but one of the punks also says, "So you're like a total faggot or what?" Later, however, Murphy and Charlie become business partners and even something approaching friends. Other students move away when Charlie sits down in the lunchroom, and are aghast when he and Len (a mentally challenged student) eat together. The students don't show Principal Gardner much respect in an assembly. It's then suggested that Charlie pulled a fire alarm to put an end to that (he leaves, and then the alarm goes off). Charlie pays Len money to be his muscle to deal with Murphey. When Len (who's mentally challenged) confronts him, Murphey says, "Suck this, mongoloid." Charlie and Murphey go into business selling prescription drugs to other students (with Charlie going to various psychiatrists and faking various symptoms, and the two then dispensing the drugs in the school bathroom). Murphey makes a female oral sex gesture (spread fingers at his mouth, flicking his tongue) to Principal Gardner who's watching on the school's new surveillance camera. Murphey visually implies (nothing explicit) that the high school quarterback is gay. To convince Principal Gardner to allow him and Charlie to put on his play, Kip says he'd be less likely to end his life (played for laughs, but some viewers might not like that). Students trash and damage an outdoor student lounge in protest of Charlie being arrested. FRIGHTENING SCENES Kip appears suicidal and we see him take some drugs. Principal Gardner then reports to Charlie that Kip overdosed, but is alive. Principal Gardner has a drink, and is then seen intoxicated, holding a bottle of booze. With Charlie there, he twice fires a handgun into his pool (hitting his toy boat) and then once into the air. When he holds it up by his head (not pointed at it), Charlie rushes him, but then falls into the pool where he hits his head on the diving board and then sinks, motionless. Principal Gardner then dives in and saves him. Principal Gardner then tells him, "Never ever attack a drunk guy with a gun." GUNS/WEAPONS Susan comments on when her mom had an affair, which lead to Principal Gardner being plastered, waving around a .38 revolver, and threatening to kill himself. We see Charlie and Kip playing a first person shooter video game (we see guns blazing, but no one is hit). Some cops wear sidearms. Principal Gardner has a drink, and is then seen intoxicated, holding a bottle of booze. With Charlie there, he twice fires a handgun into his pool (hitting his toy boat) and then once into the air. When he holds it up by his head (not pointed at it), Charlie rushes him, but then falls into the pool where he hits his head on the diving board and then sinks, motionless. Principal Gardner then dives in and saves him. Principal Gardner then tells him, "Never ever attack a drunk guy with a gun." IMITATIVE BEHAVIOR Phrases: "You f*ck," "Just f*cking buy it," "I'm gonna f*ck you up," "You must have a f*cking death wish," "F*cking-A," "I'm as fit as a f*cking fiddle," "Can you shut the f*ck up?" "Are you f*cking with me?" "F*ck you dude," "Stop the f*cking presses," "Oh f*ck," "This is total and absolute bullsh*t," "Then we'd really be up sh*t's creek," "Oh sh*t," "So you're like a total faggot or what?" "You should get your nana pierced," "What's Latin for I'm a total p*ssy?" "Suck this, mongoloid," "Maybe you're not a total tool," "You're a d*ck," "Honey," "Shut up," "You little bitch," "The living crap kicked out of you," "They go nuts," "What the hell is this?" "Scumbag," "Idiot," "(This) Sucks," "Seriously sucks," "Freak," "Loser," "Bitch" (man), "I will take a massive steaming dump on your life," "Chill out," "Piss off," "I kept getting my ass kicked by people like me," "Oh bite me," "Beats the hell out of my office," "For crying out loud," "Pretty damn important to me," "Shut it," "Get your ass back in the house," "Whatever," "Screwed up" and "Park it, Chuck." We see that Charlie has created many fake I.D.s for students at his past school (and that gets him expelled). A student wears lots of chains. We see miscellaneous graffiti in the school bathroom. Murphey grabs Charlie, drags him into a bathroom stall, and then dunks his head in the toilet. Murphey grabs Charlie, pushes him to a wall, and then proceeds to beat him up with punches, both standing and on the floor (all while Murphey's friend videotapes the beating). The students don't show Principal Gardner much respect in an assembly. It's then suggested that Charlie pulled a fire alarm to put an end to that (he leaves, and then the alarm goes off). Murphey sports a Mohawk haircut and a tattoo on his neck. Charlie pays Len money to be his muscle to deal with Murphey. Charlie and Murphey go into business selling prescription drugs to other students (with Charlie going to various psychiatrists and faking various symptoms, and the two then dispensing the drugs in the school bathroom). Murphey makes a female oral sex gesture (spread fingers at his mouth, flicking his tongue) to Principal Gardner who's watching on the school's new surveillance camera. Some cheerleaders wear midriff-revealing tops. We see video of Murphey beating up Charlie (the above scene). We then see a montage of him hitting Charlie and other students, all as a greatest hits video compilation that the two boys sell to other students (with some proceeds going to Murphey's victims). The title of the students' play is "Hell Comes With Your Own Locker." Students trash and damage an outdoor student lounge in protest of Charlie being arrested. JUMP SCENES None. MUSIC (SCARY/TENSE) None. MUSIC (INAPPROPRIATE) A song includes several uses of "G-damn" in it. Some songs had lyrics that we couldn't fully hear and/or understand, thus presenting the possibility of them containing objectionable material. PROFANITY At least 18 "f" words, 9 "s" words, 3 slang terms using female genitals ("p*ssy," "hootch" and "nana"), 2 using male ones ("d*ck" and "tool"), 6 hells (1 written), 3 asses, 1 crap, 1 damn, 4 uses of "God," 3 of "G-damn," 2 of "Oh my God" and 1 use of "Jesus." SEX/NUDITY About some rock candy he's given Susan, Principal Gardner says he was eating that sort of thing decades before she was conceived. A guy tells Whitney, "You should get your nana pierced" (presumably referring to her genitals). Charlie does a monologue while auditioning for a school play, doing a bit about a girl getting her period. He talks (from her view) of blood gushing from "you know where," that her dad didn't know how to react to that, and that fast food napkins aren't something you want to stick up your "hootch." Charlie tells the family psychiatrist about his fantasy, with the shrink asking if it's sexual, and Charlie saying not really (and it's not). While unintentionally high on Ritalin, Charlie runs around outside in just his underwear and tennis shoes. After selling prescription drugs to other students at a dance, Charlie and Murphey spot two bare-breasted teens running down the hallway. Murphey makes a female oral sex gesture (spread fingers at his mouth, flicking his tongue) to Principal Gardner who's watching on the school's new surveillance camera. During a montage of student confessions, one girl says she wants to get breast implants. During a montage of student confessions, one student says he isn't gay, but isn't attracted to girls. Charlie fakes an OCD symptom of having to say five words starting with the letter "V" when he hears one that starts with "P." When his psychiatrist says one, Charlie spouts out five words, including "virgin" and "vagina." Principal Gardner tries to comment about Charlie probably just wanting to have sex with Susan, but he can't get out those words. Susan shows a little cleavage. Charlie and Susan passionately kiss. Susan takes Charlie into her "backseat lounge" that features a convertible inside a room or garage. They get into the backseat, and she tells him that she'll reward him for being honest with her series of Q&A. After one answer and kiss, she tells him the harder the question, the greater the reward. After another, they passionately kiss, and he says he's never done this before (with her saying she knows). We then see several shots of them preparing to and then having sex. That includes her taking off her top (to her bra), both being on top of each other, etc. (but there's no nudity or related sounds). Afterwards, he's shirtless and she smokes, with him then getting up in just his boxers, going out, and addressing an assembly of partying students by shouting (in a jacket and his boxers), "I'm no longer a virgin!" (and everyone applauds, with Susan being amused while still in the backseat). As Charlie tries to convince Kip that he's unique and lucky to be alive in the universe, he reminds him that he's a human being who gets to download porno off the Internet. Whitney confesses about her sexual behavior, saying she's slept with almost everyone on the football team. She then says not all of them, but has with the entire backfield. She then says that guys want to sleep with her, and she doesn't want to say no. Whitney shows some cleavage. Susan shows some cleavage. We see Charlie shirtless as he changes clothes. In a school play about teens (written by and starring teens), a male student tries to pressure a female one into having sex, saying it's fun and will feel good (nothing sexual occurs). SMOKING Murphey smokes at least 6 times, Susan smokes a few times, and some miscellaneous characters (including other students) smoke. After Susan leaves with Charlie, Principal Gardner sees that the bag Charlie brought her contained a box of nicotine gum. TENSE FAMILY SCENES About being expelled, Marilyn asks Charlie what his father would say if he were there (making it sound like he's dead, divorced or estranged, but we later learn he's in prison). Principal Gardner and Susan have the typical strained father/teen daughter relationship. We learn that Principal Gardner is divorced and Susan lives with him rather than her mom. The family psychiatrist asks Charlie if he's angry his father is gone, but Charlie doesn't answer. Charlie rattles off a number of reasons Murphey acts like a punk, including his father boozing. Kip says his parents already think he's a "freak." During a montage of student confessions, one says his dad hits his mom. Charlie lies about his father, saying he was hit and killed by an ice cream truck. Incredulous about the way he's acting, Susan asks her dad if he's drunk. Susan says that her dad's job turned him into an alcoholic. Susan comments on when her mom had an affair, which lead to Principal Gardner being plastered, waving around a .38 revolver, and threatening to kill himself. She then says that it "sucks" having one parent ditch (leave) and the other lose his mind (due to drinking). Principal Gardner thinks that Charlie has brought Susan some prescription drugs, leading to a confrontation between the three. Susan is upset, Principal Gardner grabs her arm, and Charlie then grabs him arm, followed by punching him to the ground. After Susan leaves with Charlie, Principal Gardner sees that the bag contained a box of nicotine gum. Marilyn saying that some of Charlie's issues and bad behavior are her fault. TOPICS TO TALK ABOUT Teens being prescribed medication to deal with their various mental and behavioral issues. Trying to fit in at new places. Dealing with bullies. Alcoholism. Charlie rattles off a number of reasons Murphey acts like a punk, including his father boozing. Principal Gardner puts up surveillance cameras in the outdoor student lounge, drawing the kids' protest. Kip says his parents already think he's a "freak." He later appears suicidal and we see him take some drugs. Principal Gardner then reports to Charlie that Kip overdosed, but is alive. During a montage of student confessions, one girl says she wants to get breast implants. Charlie ends up suspended for three days for selling prescription drugs to other students. Susan says that her dad's job turned him into an alcoholic. The comment that it's a teenager's responsibility to occasionally "piss off" his or her parents. Charlie saying that he's helping the teens since no one else is listening to them. When Principal Gardner tries to tell Charlie that having people like him isn't the end all, be all of teen life, Charlie replies, "It's pretty damn important to me." Principal Gardner then reminds Charlie that what he does in life is important. Charlie says that every morning he looks in the mirror, tries to figure out where he fits in, and comes up with a blank. Marilyn saying that some of Charlie's issues and bad behavior are her fault. Charlie dad being in prison for tax evasion. VIOLENCE Murphey grabs Charlie, drags him into a bathroom stall, and then dunks his head in the toilet. Murphey grabs Charlie, pushes him to a wall, and then proceeds to beat him up with punches, both standing and on the floor (all while Murphey's friend videotapes the beating). This results in Charlie having a black eye. Murphey purposefully bumps Charlie in passing in the hallway. Paid by Charlie to do so, Len grabs Murphey and manhandles him into a limo where Charlie is waiting to make him a proposal. We see video of Murphey beating up Charlie (the above scene). We then see a montage of him hitting Charlie and other students, all as a greatest hits video compilation that the two boys sell to other students (with some proceeds going to Murphey's victims). Principal Gardner thinks that Charlie has brought Susan some prescription drugs, leading to a confrontation between the three. Susan is upset, Principal Gardner grabs her arm, and Charlie then grabs him arm, followed by punching him to the ground. After Susan leaves with Charlie, Principal Gardner sees that the bag contained a box of nicotine gum. Students trash and damage an outdoor student lounge in protest of Charlie being arrested. Principal Gardner has a drink, and is then seen intoxicated, holding a bottle of booze. With Charlie there, he twice fires a handgun into his pool (hitting his toy boat) and then once into the air. When he holds it up by his head (not pointed at it), Charlie rushes him, but then falls into the pool where he hits his head on the diving board and then sinks, motionless. Principal Gardner then dives in and saves him. Principal Gardner then tells him, "Never ever attack a drunk guy with a gun." Reviewed July 19, 2007 / Posted February 22, 2008