Charlie Bartlett (2007)

User Rating:

7.2/10   

Director:

Jon Poll

Writer (WGA):

Gustin Nash (written by)

Release Date:

22 February 2008 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama

Tagline:

Popularity is a state of mind.

Plot:

A rich kid becomes the self-appointed psychiatrist to the student body of his new high school.

Plot Keywords:

Cheerleader | Breasts | Teenage Boy | Fake Doctor | Dysfunctional Family

Cast

Anton Yelchin	...	Charlie Bartlett
Robert Downey Jr.	...	Principal Nathan Gardner
Hope Davis	...	Marilyn Bartlett
Kat Dennings	...	Susan Gardner
Tyler Hilton	...	Murphey Bivens
Mark Rendall	...	Kip Crombwell
Dylan Taylor	...	Len Arbuckle
Megan Park	...	Whitney Drummond
Jake Epstein	...	Dustin Lauderbach
Jonathan Malen	...	Jordan Sunder
Derek McGrath	...	Superintendent Sedgwick
Stephen Young	...	Dr. Stan Weathers
Ishan Davé	...	Henry Freemont
David Brown	...	Officer Hansen
Eric Fink	...	Thomas
Noam Jenkins	...	Dean West
Lauren Collins	...	Kelly
Annick Obonsawin	...	Daisy
Sarah Gadon	...	Priscilla
Aubrey Graham	...	A / V Jones
Michael D'Ascenzo	...	Scott
Dwayne McLean	...	Bus Driver
Quancetia Hamilton	...	Mrs. Albertson
Richard Alan Campbell	...	Dr. Sam Costell
Kim Roberts	...	Dr. Linda Jenkins
David Fraser	...	Dr. Jacob Kaufmann
Marvin Karon	...	Dr. P. Sarossy
Brendan Murray	...	Dorm Head
Abigail Bernardez	...	Cheerleader #1
Laura Jeanes	...	Cheerleader #2
Amelia Tenttave	...	Len's Girlfriend #1
Amabelle Singson	...	Len's Girlfriend #2
Julia Cohen	...	Receptionist
Abby Zotz	...	Kip's Mom
Maddy Wilde	...	Spiral Beach Band Member
Airick Woodhead	...	Spiral Beach Band Member
Dorian Wolf	...	Spiral Beach Band Member
Daniel Woodhead	...	Spiral Beach Band Member
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Annamaria Janice McAndrew	...	Cheerleader #3

Directed by
Jon Poll

Writing credits (WGA)
Gustin Nash		(written by)

Produced by
Joseph Boccia	....	line producer: additional photography
Whitney Brown	....	line producer
Karen Gehres	....	field producer
Trish Hofmann	....	executive producer
William Horberg	....	executive producer
William Horberg	....	producer
Barron Kidd	....	producer
Sidney Kimmel	....	producer
Steve Longi	....	co-producer
Gustin Nash	....	co-producer
Jennifer Perini	....	executive producer
David Permut	....	producer
Jay Roach	....	producer
Bruce Toll	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Christophe Beck

Cinematography by
Paul Sarossy

Film Editing by
Alan Baumgarten

Casting by
Robin D. Cook
Richard Hicks
David Rubin

Production Design by
Tamara Deverell

Art Direction by
Joshu de Cartier

Set Decoration by
Zeljka Alosinac

Costume Design by
Luis Sequeira

Makeup Department
Jenny Arbour	....	key hair stylist
Linda Dowds	....	makeup department head

Production Management
Whitney Brown	....	unit production manager
James Fraser	....	assistant production manager
Aaron Merrell	....	director of production: SKE (uncredited)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Libby Hodgson	....	assistant director
Patrick Murphy	....	third assistant director
Neesha Patki	....	trainee assistant director
Andrew Pritchard	....	trainee assistant director
Branko Racki	....	second unit director
Tim Singh	....	second assistant director

Art Department
Denniston Karl Brown	....	set dresser
Jody Lynn Clement	....	second assistant art director: reshoots
Rossana DeCampo	....	key scenic artist
Christopher Geggie	....	property master
Jason Graham	....	first assistant art director
Jason Graham	....	lead graphic designer
Rob McCallum	....	storyboard artist
Brian Patrick	....	assistant property master
Joel Venti	....	storyboard artist (opening sequence)

Sound Department
Ron Bartlett	....	sound re-recording mixer
Bill Burns	....	assistant sound editor
Sean Byrne	....	sound re-recordist
Gavin Coford	....	boom operator
Caoimhe Doyle	....	foley artist
Henry Embry	....	sound mixer
Eric Flickinger	....	sound recordist
Galen Goodpaster	....	first assistant sound editor
Michael Haight	....	supervising sound editor
Zach Hunter	....	cable puller
Larry Kemp	....	dialogue editor
Goro Koyama	....	foley artist
Howard London	....	adr mixer
Andy Malcolm	....	foley artist
Anna Malkin	....	foley recording assistant
Matthew McKenzie	....	adr recording engineer
Bruce Nyznik	....	sound editor
Michael O'Farrell	....	supervising sound editor
Don White	....	foley recording mixer

Visual Effects by
Sean Kennedy	....	digital effects artist: Pacific Vision Productions

Stunts
John MacDonald	....	stunt double: Jake Epstein
Duncan McLeod	....	stunts
Branko Racki	....	stunt coordinator
Joseph Racki	....	stunt double
Robert Racki	....	stunts
Shayna Segal	....	stunt performer
Bryan Thomas	....	stunts

Camera and Electrical Department
Zena Bielewicz	....	second assistant camera: "a" camera
Ciaran Copelin	....	first assistant camera
William Engel	....	grip
Ari Magder	....	second assistant camera: "b" camera
Tim Merkel	....	Steadicam operator
Tim Merkel	....	camera operator
Brent Robinson	....	underwater first assistant camera
Jerry Romanko	....	daily grip
Tracy Shaw	....	assistant key rigging grip
Sarah Warland	....	second assistant camera
Mark Willis	....	camera operator
Jordan Willoughby	....	camera trainee
Ken Woroner	....	still photographer

Casting Department
Zameret Kleiman	....	extras casting
Stephanie Stenta	....	casting assistant

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Christina Cattle	....	set costume supervisor
Jay Du Boisson	....	assistant costume designer
Lindsay Jacobs	....	costume supervisor

Editorial Department
Gary Burritt	....	negative cutter
Catherine Haight	....	first assistant editor
Debbie Holland	....	colorist
Andy Jurgensen	....	post-production coordinator (as Andrew Jurgensen)
Rui Martins	....	telecine operator
David Tarnawsky	....	second assistant editor
Jordan Wood	....	dailies assistant editor: reshoots

Music Department
Christine Bergren	....	music legal and clearance
Adam Blau	....	score coordinator
Fernand Bos	....	supervising music editor
Mark Graham	....	music preparation
Bonnie Greenberg	....	executive in charge of music
Brad Haehnel	....	score mixer
Dave Jordan	....	music supervisor
Steve Kaplan	....	scoring engineer
Jen Pray	....	music clearance
Peter Rotter	....	music contractor
Ben Schor	....	music editor
Jojo Villanueva	....	music supervisor
David Carpenter	....	musician: bass (uncredited)

Transportation Department
Gord Bettles	....	picture car mechanic
Bill Boyd	....	picture vehicle coordinator
Frank Mizzi	....	transportation captain
Carl Severin	....	transportation co-captain
Mark Van Alstyne	....	transportation coordinator

Other crew
John Albanis	....	assistant: Mr. Poll
Cassandra Barbour	....	rights and clearances
Derek Brady	....	location manager: additional filming
David M. Chisholm	....	production coordinator
David Chisolm	....	production coordinator
Stephanie Chris	....	production assistant
Christopher Godfrey	....	assistant: Jay Roach
Matthew Hals	....	assistant: producer
Michael J. Harker	....	completion bond company representative
Bill Hong	....	operator: camera car/insert car
Richie Kawamoto	....	production coordinator: Sidney Kimmel Entertainment
Rose Lister	....	first assistant accountant
Sam Louie	....	title designer
Eric Macmillan	....	set medic
Susan Marucci	....	script supervisor
Sue Nelson	....	third accountant
John Rakich	....	location assistant
Michelle M. Robeson	....	production secretary
Laura Sevier	....	rights and clearances
Lisa Shamata	....	unit publicist
Michelle K. Smith	....	assistant production coordinator
Alan Sutton	....	fire safety coordinator
Al Vrkljan	....	armorer
Andrew Whiteside	....	on-set satellite internet technician
Greg Whiteside	....	on-set satellite internet technician
Larry David Wilson	....	production assistant
Michalla Petersen	....	voice-over artist (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Sidney Kimmel Entertainment
• Everyman Pictures
• Texon Entertainment
• Permut Presentations
• Granite Rock Films
• Madacy Entertainment

Distributors

• Cathay-Keris Films (2008) (Singapore) (theatrical)
• Central Film Verleih (2008) (Germany) (theatrical)
• Equinoxe Films (2008) (Canada) (theatrical)
• Film Messenger (2008) (South Korea) (theatrical)
• Lighthouse Pictures (2008) (Singapore) (theatrical)
• Lizard Cinema Trade (2008) (Russia) (all media)
• MGM Home Entertainment (2008) (USA) (DVD)
• Metro Goldwyn Distributing Company (2007) (USA) (theatrical)
• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (2007) (USA) (theatrical)
• Versus Entertainment (2008) (Spain) (all media)

Other Companies

• Business Affairs  production counsel
• Digital Vortechs  Avid editing equipment provided by
• Entertainment Clearances  rights and clearances
• HW Picturecars  picture cars
• Internet On Set  
• Internet On Set  on-set satellite internet
• Lakeshore Records  soundtrack
• Movie Armaments Group  weapons supplied by
• Tattersall Sound  picture editing facilities

MPAA:

Rated R for language, drug content and brief nudity.

Runtime:

97 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

SDDS | DTS | Dolby Digital

Certification:

Ireland:16 | USA:R (certificate #43261) | Singapore:NC-16 | Netherlands:12 | South Korea:15 | Germany:12

Filming Locations:

Parkwood Estate, Oshawa, Ontario, Canada

Company:

Sidney Kimmel Entertainment

Trivia:

In the last scene the psychiatrists name is P. Sarossy, same as the cinematographer of this movie, Paul Sarossy.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Charlie Bartlett: Thank You. Thank you very much. Thank you. How you all doing tonight. It's great to see all of you here. My name is Charlie Bartlett.

Movie Connections:

Features Killzone (2004) (VG)

Soundtrack:

Jazz It Up

A comedy with a message, wildly entertaining

Charlie Bartlett is a comedy with a message. Some may say that's an oxymoron. But Jon Poll, directing from a Gustin Nash script, takes on the task and turns in a hybrid of a film that is so incredibly engaging you'll wonder why few filmmakers take on such a challenge. The audience was so loud and boisterous at the World Premiere screening at the Tribeca Film Festival that it sent the laugh meter off the scale.

Anton Yelchin is Charlie Bartlett, a kid born with a silver spoon in his mouth and an enterprising, albeit mischievous, brain. His antics get him kicked out of one private school after another. But his clever and earnest sincerity is bound to hit the target sooner or later and it does when he is thrown to the public school wolves. The scheme he invents to endear himself to the student body is nothing short of genius, and his performance fits the bill.

Yelchin has made a name for himself playing the smart, sensitive, and innocent tortured kid. Here he gets the chance to stretch his acting chops in a completely different direction. He's confident and anything but vulnerable. The wide range of emotions and the talents he shows here are unsurpassed. He sings, he dances, he plays piano, he does physical comedy and has fight scenes and romantic scenes and just about everything that could be thrown at him. And he looks to be so thoroughly enjoying it, which comes across on screen and proves to be so central to the film. After all, to enjoy a film one must identify somewhat with the protagonist, or at least like him, and Anton does that better than many actors twice his age.

Hope Davis is a riot as his not-quite-all-there mother. It's easy to see the source of Charlie's quirkiness. The relationship between mother and son is playful and mischievous, the kind of "mom as best friend" scenario which often results in tragedy. Here it's played just for laughs, and it works. She is everymom - with a twist of lemon.

Tyler Hilton is perfectly cast as the bully who we know from the start is destined to soften up somewhere along the way. That's what movie bullies do. But he brings an especially charming quality to the role which plays perfectly against Charlie's leanings toward the dark side. It's a delicate balance but Yelchin and Hilton make it work.

Robert Downey Jr. is ironically cast as the substance-addled principal who also happens to be the father of Charlie's love interest. One has to wonder whether Principal Gardner or Downey is speaking in some of the more poignant scenes about alcohol and drugs. It's chilling. Perhaps for that reason alone he is a standout here.

Kat Dennings plays the girl who is out to win Charlie's heart. The dynamic with Downey and Yelchin is a natural source of drama. This is the film's most heartfelt storyline, and Dennings is admirably up to the task.

At times it all feels so real, and it's no wonder -- writer Gustin Nash actually continued to write scenes and dialogue specifically for those actors after the film got underway and it shows.

Charlie Bartlett has the look and feel of a studio film, which should help it find an audience. The subject matter demands an R rating, if only for its content. But it's a film kids need to see. The message is squarely aimed at teens, even younger ones, and parents need to take heed. In the guise of a comedy, a good one at that, Charlie Bartlett has something meaningful to say about the excuses we use to justify our behavior and the chemical coping methods so many of us cling to. And it's d*mn funny.