'Charlie Bartlett' Gets Pulled

Pay no attention to the August 3rd release date that's come attached to all those Charlie Bartlett commercials and advertisements. Cinematical received an email yesterday stating the film has been pulled from its release date and they're currently looking for better placement. The reason given for the change apparently has to do with "today's overwhelmingly competitive market;" basically, that means they didn't want to go up against The Bourne Ultimatum, Hot Rod and Bratz: The Movie. Which I can totally understand, since Bartlett is set in a high school and is designed to cater toward that audience. But since it was given an R rating (which I'll come back to in a moment), there's no way it can compete with the PG-13-rated Hot Rod and, I'm assuming, the PG-13-rated Bratz.

Currently, there isn't another release date in place, which means it will either get shoveled out on a weekend this fall that doesn't feature any teen-related comedies, or it will get dumped sometime shortly after the new year. Charlie Bartlett premiered earlier this year at The Tribeca Film Festival where I managed to review the film and interview its director (Jon Poll) and star (Anton Yelchin). It's a cute flick that revolves around a Ferris Bueller-type student who decides to become the unofficial therapist of his new high school. The film was rated R because it deals with kids giving other kids prescribed medication -- but it's totally justified (kind of) and in no way over-the-top or raunchy. In fact, it's a real shame this one got slapped with an R because it's a film that should be made available to teenagers. There's a strong message, sure, but it's told in a fun way. And Yelchin (who I happen to like very much) shines in the role, as does Robert Downey Jr. (who plays the school's principal). We'll let you know when we hear more, but here's hoping Charlie Bartlett eventually finds a date and doesn't get lost in the shuffle.