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Charlie Bartlett

Charlie Bartlett

Comedy · Drama · Romance · 2008

Awkward teenager Charlie Bartlett has trouble fitting in at a new high school. Charlie needs some friends fast, and decides that the best way to find them is to appoint himself the resident psychiatrist. He becomes one of the most popular guys in school by doling out advice and, occasionally, medication, to the student body.

Movie details

Charlie Bartlett

“Popularity is a state of mind.”

2008 Comedy · Drama · Romance 1h 37m

Critical arithmetic

One number, for now.

TMDB

6.7 / 10

Community rating

Awkward teenager Charlie Bartlett has trouble fitting in at a new high school. Charlie needs some friends fast, and decides that the best way to find them is to appoint himself the resident psychiatrist. He becomes one of the most popular guys in school by doling out advice and, occasionally, medication, to the student body.

CriticWise case file

What this film says about your taste.

Not a recommendation score. A measure of how closely the film’s taste signals resemble yours.

The archetype split

Who fights over Charlie Bartlett?

The split comes from the same five-axis model used by the test, not audience ratings or review sentiment.

Taste neighbourhood

Nearby on the taste map.

TMDB supplies the candidates. CriticWise reorders them by craft, strangeness, prestige, emotion, and pace.

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Names above the title

The people responsible.

Directed by

Jon Poll

Written by

Gustin Nash

Anton Yelchin

Anton Yelchin

Charlie Bartlett

Robert Downey Jr.

Robert Downey Jr.

Nathan Gardner

Hope Davis

Hope Davis

Marilyn Bartlett

Kat Dennings

Kat Dennings

Susan Gardner

Tyler Hilton

Tyler Hilton

Murphy Bivens

Mark Rendall

Mark Rendall

Kip Crombwell

Dylan Taylor

Dylan Taylor

Len Arbuckle

Court is in session

Put Charlie Bartlett on trial.

Two incompatible taste archetypes. One film. Read the arguments, then issue a completely binding cultural ruling.

The defence The Sentimental Softie

“Sincerity is not manipulation.”

The film risks embarrassment to make emotion communal, and that openness is harder than fashionable detachment.

The prosecution The Cool Ironist

“The strings are showing.”

Every cue tells you exactly what to feel and when, leaving sentiment to do the work character should have done.