Being Charlie

6/10 - depressing and frustrating, but great performances throughout

The movie was a good attempt at a first feature film. After viewing it at TIFF and listening to the writers speak afterwords they clearly stated that Rob Reiner had a lot of influence in ironing out the kinks with the script. but obviously he liked something to start with. With experience I am sure that the two youngsters Nick Reiner, Matt Elisofon will get better at it. It did have some very memorable scenes and lines.

I enjoyed the message and the movie was not just funny or just dark based on the topic. It had a good mix of drama and comedy. I enjoyed it and will be looking for the next film that comes out from these guys.

"Acceptance is the first step to recovery." Charlie (Robinson) is a drug addict who has been in and out of rehab. After escaping from his current treatment clinic he returns home, only to fall back into his same routine. Now, given the choice between another try at rehab or going to jail Charlie attempts to turn his life around. What he finds is that rehab is easier than dealing with his famous father (Elwes) in the middle of his run for Governor. This is a very tough movie to watch, due to the actions of Charlie and his father. You are rooting for Charlie the entire time, and you really feel when he is faced with a choice and you feel the tenseness that he does. The movie makes you really feel the roller coaster of emotions that Charlie is on and that really adds to the involvement and impact of the movie. Overall, great acting, writing and directing makes this less of a movie and more of an experience. I recommend this. I give it a B+.

Whats not to like....Real world for a change..No Fluff...See it when ya can....Aside from all the cast giving all believable under the top performances the writing does a good job of blending high funny ha ha and low tragedy ..Drug problems embedding themselves in all families comes close to home here...Reiner both the older and younger collaborate on a film level and more importantly as a dad and son as it gets very close to home ..We the audience are allowed to observe from afar at times ..In . The rehab facilities one gets to see life from the inside out rather than peering in as outsiders...The writing takes us there..All in all get your popcorn ready ur in for a film that u will remember awhile from now..

This movie came across to me as quite the downer, and didn't seem at all to be a Rob Reiner directed film. Nick Robinson is believable as the defiant and sarcastic Charlie Mills. He's 18-years-old and a drug addict and has gone to one treatment facility after another, only gaining brief periods of sobriety.

Nick is from a very well-to-do family with his father (Cary Elwes), a former movie star running for Governor of California. The bulk of the film will center on Nick's rehab attempts, as he continually flaunts and disregards the recovery program's and counselors recommendations, thinking he has all the answers. Unfortunately, it will take a tragedy to finally get his attention.

There's lots of unlikable characters here, plenty of drug use, raw language, explicit sexual references, and some nudity.

Overall, I had trouble caring about the characters here, and just found the movie to be more irritating than enjoyable.