First Hit: A very mediocre Rushmore or Ferris Bueller’s Day Off.
Although Anton Yelchin, as Charlie Bartlett, did a fairly good job of being a bizarre unreal high school student, this film did not hold together nor was it believable.
Kat Dennings is the most solid character in this film however her Principle dad, (played by Robert Downey Jr.) was out of place and I couldn’t help but wonder why Downey would do such a film.
The plot centers around Charlie who has been kicked out of every private school because he has a difficult time fitting in. He gets good grades at these schools but other behaviors (making and selling fake IDs) are not the kind of behaviors blue blood schools can tolerate.
His uptight, pill popping mother (played by Hope Davis) decides to send him to public school. Immediately, he notices he doesn’t fit in and gets beat up by a bully. However, Charlie is too smart for these kids and figures out a way to become the focus of attention. He does this by prescribing legal prescription drugs he obtains by tricking a litany of psychologists that he has all these symptoms to which they give him unending prescriptions.
This makes Charlie popular with the kids because he listens to the kids and gives them drugs for a small fee.
He falls in love with Susan Gardner (Kat Dennings) who is being raised by her father Principal Gardner (Downey). Principal Gardner is having a hard time being Principal and has taken to drinking again.
This film becomes a war between Charlie and the Principal.
Overall: This is a poor imitation of other films and a waste of Downey and Davis’ abilities. However the introduction of Dennings was a bright spot.