Photo by: MGM Pictures

In his second film, director Jon Poll creates a flawed characterization of American adolescents in a pseudo homage to classic teenage empowerment films.

“Charlie Bartlett” is the story of a rich student who has been kicked out of the last of many prep schools. Charlie (Anton Yelchin) finds himself completely out of his element attending a public high school. Though it’s not ever explained why, Charlie rides the bus to his first day of high school and when he arrives in a suit and tie he is met by the school bully with a swirly. Worried about her son, his mother (Hope Davis), who is on prescription drugs for depression, sends him to a therapist who prescribes Ritalin.

In a montage that will give you déjCB vu he recites symptoms directly from the psychiatry textbooks he found in the school library to multiple therapists in order to score a massive amount of prescription drugs.

He soon adapts to the new environment of public school by counseling fellow students and selling them the medication he scams out of his therapists.

Even more awkward than the plot is the film’s characterization of high school youth. Every student in the film seems to be clinically depressed or disturbed in ways that go beyond rebellion. In this alternate hell hole of a high school the teachers and parents seem to be non-existent and the only authority figure is the principal (played by Robert Downey Jr.), who is so depressed himself that he drinks immediately after returning home everyday. Though it is the perfect setting for a would-be therapist, this portrayal does not ring true.

Though Charlie’s advice and understanding is a help to the student body, he amounts to little more than a common drug dealer. His thirst for popularity is so strong that he disregards the true well being of his “patients” by giving them potentially harmful drugs in order to superficially cope with their troubles. In one scene he tells his girlfriend (Kat Dennings) that smoking is bad for her, but says nothing of the side effects of unregulated prescription drugs.

The film also lacks direction. One moment the tone is frivolous and free as the student body all gets high on Ritalin at a school dance and the next it is serious and depressing as the real problems of some of the students begin to show. The final message faintly surfaces as a blanket statement about the brokenness of humanity. Everyone, not just high school kids, is screwed up.

While actor Anton Yelchin does admittedly have some charm almost reminiscent of a young Matthew Broderick, his charisma alone was not enough to drive the film.

Uninteresting and even boring at times, all “Charlie Bartlett” amounts to is a poor attempt at revitalizing an old concept. Poll brings absolutely nothing new to a film type that has already been done many times in far better ways.

Unless you are interested in a regurgitation of the classic teen empowerment films of the 80’s and 90’s, this film is not for you.