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DVD review: The Education of Charlie Banks
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Hot tubbin'
As we come further into the millenium, independent films are getting pushed back into the shadows more and more. Studios are terrified, and have been for a while now, of supporting anything too original, often citing economic crises or budgetary constraints. But independent films often give us the best in story telling. These are the filmmakers that honestly deserve our hard-earned dollars.
The Education of Charlie Banks isn't a grandiose cinematical achievement, even on an independent level, but it is a nice little indie film helmed by Fred Durst (yes, that Fred Durst) with a fantastic young cast. The story follows Charlie Banks and his best friend, Danny, as they emerge from high school and begin college. Charlie witnessed Mick, a notorious bully and thug of sorts, nearly beat another boy to death when they were in high school. Doing what he thought was right, Charlie told his father and the police about the ordeal, putting Mick in jail. Fearing the backlash from Mick's supporters and a fate similar to that of the beaten boy, Charlie recants his story, earning Mick a free pass out of jail. A few years later, Charlie and Danny are in college when Mick shows up unexpected. Charlie starts to overcome his fear of Mick, and the two become good friends. Mick unwittingly lands a girlfriend in Mary, the girl Charlie has quietly been in love with for some time, and starts to change his appearance and demeanor to fit in with the college crowd. But has Mick really changed? Or will he snap, falling back into his old violent habits?
The film is well-directed for the most part, but could have resonated better with some tighter, more intimate shots, especially in the more violent scenes. It is heavily reminiscent of Bully, the 2001 Larry Clark (of Kids fame) film, specifically during a climactic scene at the end. Both share the same lighting and wide shots, the same character dynamics, and the same awkward tension, most notably between Mick and Charlie. The biggest problem with the film lies within the build up to the climax: the story meanders, seemingly with no real point or intended destination. It isn't until the climax that something truly compelling happens. There are plenty of chances for conflict, but the passive character of Charlie won't let that conflict arise.
The actors are a group of young and talenteds, including Jason Ritter (Happy Endings), Jesse Eisenberg (Adventureland), Chris Marquette (Just Friends, Fanboys), and the gorgeous Eva Amurri (daughter of Susan Sarandon). This a group of actors that should be more front and center in our film consciousness. While Eisenberg has been picking up several commercial roles, the others seem to trail somewhere in the background, quietly picking small roles in bigger films or choosing indie flicks like Charlie Banks that don't get much attention.
While The Education of Charlie Banks isn't a fast-paced edge-of-your-seat film, it is a quiet and restrained film, and a nice directorial effort from a guy that used to rap about Nookie. Although it flounders somewhere in the middle, Durst redeems himself in the end with a nail-biting, albeit slightly predictable, climax.
The Education of Charlie Banks (2007)
Rated: R
Genre: Drama
Formats: DVD
Running time: 114 minutes
Starring: Jesse Eisenberg, Chris Marquette, Jason Ritter, Eva Amurri
Written by: Peter Elkoff
Directed by: Fred Durst
You can rent this at Netflix, or buy it at Amazon.
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