The Education of Charlie Banks (2007)

College student Charlie Banks has to face old problems when the bully he had an unpleasant encounter with back in high school shows up on his campus.

Director:

Fred Durst

Writer:

Peter Elkoff

Stars:

Jesse Eisenberg, Jason Ritter, Eva Amurri Martino

1 win.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Jesse Eisenberg	...	Charlie
Jason Ritter	...	Mick
Chris Marquette	...	Danny
Eva Amurri Martino	...	Mary (as Eva Amurri)
Sebastian Stan	...	Leo
Gloria Votsis	...	Nia
Alex Guarino	...	Buzzy Tim
Danny A. Abeckaser	...	Arresting Officer
Jason Anthony	...	Basketball Player
Declan Baldwin	...	Detective Lazaroff
Emily Camara Boisseau	...	Girl In Danny's Class (as Emily Boisseau)
Dennis Boutsikaris	...	Mr. Banks
Miles Chandler	...	Young Mick
Jessica Conlan	...	Sarah (as Jessica Conlon)
Sam Daly	...	Owen

Storyline

The Education of Charlie Banks is a coming of age tale that spans from the playgrounds of lower Manhattan to the idyllic greens of a fictional liberal arts college in upstate New York. Set during the eighties, it is a story about change, inevitability, and ultimately, about facing one's fears.

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Plot Keywords:

low budget film | college | campus | student | college student | 

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Genres:

Drama

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for pervasive language, some violence, sexual content, and drug and alcohol use

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

27 April 2007 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Education of Charlie Banks

Filming Locations:

Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$5,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$8,538, 29 March 2009

Gross USA:

$15,078

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$15,078

Company Credits

Production Co:

Charlie Banks, Myriad Pictures, Straight Up Films

Technical Specs

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Goofs

After Charlie finds out that Mick beat up Leo, he goes to search for Mary. When she doesn't answer her dorm room door, we see him run into a white building. The camera dollies in towards the entrance and at the bottom of the frame you can clearly see the dolly track laid out.

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Quotes

Leo: You know, I remember being a freshman. It was the two best years of my life.

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Connections

References Galaxian (1979)

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Soundtracks

I Don't Care (If Tomorrow Never Comes)
Written by Hank Williams (as Hank Williams, Sr.)
Performed by Hank Williams (as Hank Williams, Sr.)

User Reviews

Successful if a tad sketchy in places

There are two ways you can look at this film. The first is simply as a drama film like any other, a well-set piece for the epoch it unfolds in; certainly the clothing and set accessories are all in their right place for the 70's/80's. The acting is quite impressive all around: Jesse Eisenberg and Jason Ritter are the stars of the show, commanding very well-built characters; one a more introspective, unspoken kid and the other a more domineering, swagger-carrying bad-ass. Chris Marquette and Sebastian Stan are also worthy of note, as is Eva Amurri as the typical thrill-seeking bored rich girl - the type that tends to want what she can't have, in this case a guy who is perhaps not to be trifled with, possibly of the kind she is ill-equipped to deal with, or at least to deal with as she does - again the typical heart-breaking machinery at work.

The other way you can look at this film is as a Fred Durst production. Considering he was the director, you're ready to give it more credit than it would be worth straight out of the bat. It is quite impressive on his part that he was able to put this together (if such was the case), even if marks of a certain lack of experience are visible throughout. First we have the screenplay - some of what the characters are saying is repetitive and at times nonsensical. The dialogue could have been more elaborate - that would certainly have upped the quality and believability quotient - not that the film strays too far from reality - in fact it tends to steer back on track and find it's way safely to the end, yet scenes such as the one when Jason Ritter is in the bar by himself with only a few "workers" around him and the things the barman spouts there. These exhibitions of class demarcation and the like are ultimately unreal. There is also an ongoing attack at "rich people" in general, when the case being considered is that of the spoiled offspring of some rich people - not all "rich people" are worthy of scorn. Second there is the unnecessary use of swear words. At a certain point in the film these just become tiring. Not that films should forcefully not contain these, the simple fact is a film reads differently than, say, a rap album with explicit content.

However you look at it, notwithstanding, the film still pulls through successfully. Considering the kind of garbage being thrown our way these days, The Education Of Charlie Banks stands. The title is fitting; indeed, even if we may think otherwise, Charlie is the one who ends up learning from things. He in a way corrects his ways and makes the right choice. He shows humanity, he tries to be cooperative as opposed to being oppressive. Here the film triumphs, in that it reveals a positive message.

Kudos to otherwise career-dead Durst for carrying this one through; let's hope he learns from his mistakes and rises to make better things? One can't help but think this could have been so immensely better with a different director, yet it is still surprising that it was carried under his wing.

6.5(7)/10