Charlie Bartlett (2007)

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:

School Principal | Teenage Boy | Alcoholic | High School | Divorced

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
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	....	camera operator
Tim Merkel	....	steadicam 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
Andrew Jurgensen	....	post-production coordinator
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
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)
• 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)

Other Companies

• Business Affairs  production counsel
• Chapman / Leonard Studio Equipment  dollies
• 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 | Dolby Digital | DTS

Certification:

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

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.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Charlie goes to announce that he will not be selling drugs anymore, he stands up on a pool table, with a game currently in play. However, when the camera switches to the crowds view and back, the pool balls on the table are gone.

Quotes:

Charlie Bartlett: Viagra! Virgin! Vino! Vagabond! Vagina!
[taps head with right hand on each word]

Movie Connections:

References Super Fly (1972)

Soundtrack:

Those were the days

A Good Attempt

Charlie Bartlett was one of the first in a wave of movies I've been looking forward to this year, mostly based on the strength of their trailers.

But, like my company, I was somewhat let down. The strong points of the movie are Charlie's mother, Charlie's principal, and of course, Charlie. Anton Yelchin did a very good job making Charlie into a very strong persona, one that rivals the recent creation of Ellen Paige in Juno. Unfortunately, Yelchin decidedly falls short, seemingly due to what is a bad job of casting throughout the movie, with no chemistry between the vast majority of them. Charlie and his mother are the only two who have true palpable chemistry, with each of the moments they are together very enjoyable.

Then comes the rest of the cast.... One thing about this movie is there are just too many pointless characters who add nothing to the story. There are countless characters who were played by Degrassi actors and actresses, which alone is a bad mistake in casting. Then comes Charlie's girlfriend, Kat Dennings, who takes away from the movie much more than she adds. She plays through most of the movie straight-faced, using some of the most generic dialogue possible to imagine. The character is given some sort of tough style, but it's never reflected in any other part of any alleged personality of the character.

Besides the casting issues, the weakest part of this movie is the script. While Charlie's mother and Charlie himself have distinguishable dialogue from everyone else, everything almost everyone else says could be said by anyone, anywhere, without a shred of a personality reflected in them.

Other than the noticeable issues I came across, I still managed to enjoy the film. It had its issues, but the competent directing managed to pull it together into something that I think most can enjoy, at least to an extent.