The Education of Charlie Banks

I was surprised that I liked this film. It isn’t the type of movie that I usually enjoy. There were only three people in the audience. That may also mean something. I chose to enjoy the film for psychological reasons. I was trying to understand the characters and their motives for their action.

Charlie Banks is a plain every day kid. He doesn’t excel in anything. His looks are average and he seems to be a follower rather than a leader.

We first meet him as a young kid on a school bus. We get an idea as to his character type. Charlie is the son of a middle class father who owns a book store. The two have a good relationship and you sense that the father has good values.

Charlie witnesses a friend, Mick, ruthlessly beating up another pal. Charlie tells the police about the beating. The other boys are terrified of ‘squealing’ on Mick. Mick doesn’t have roots and seems like a street kid in many ways. He acts like a bully and has a violent temper. The other boys seem to tolerate his behavior.

Charlie goes off to a college of upper class kids. He has a crush on a charming girl and he does all the usual rituals of a college kid. He drinks. He parties and he also does his school work. He is accepted by his peers and has friends but comes across as awkward.

Mick shows up at the college and bunks in with Charlie and his roommate. In true character Mick becomes the leader and ingratiates himself into college life even though he is not a student.

Mick gets into more trouble and news stories point out a violent action in the nearby past.

I was intrigued with Mick. He was one good looking young man. I also felt sorry for him. I felt as if he wanted to have some of the qualities of the good students. It was as if he made up for his lacking by acting out in a brutal manner.

I waited for the boys to turn on Mick. It was devastating to see the charming Mary take up with Mick and become infatuated with his charm. She later realized her foolishness.

So often young people are charmed by the ‘good looker’ and also overlook negative qualities.

One rich young college student thought he could buy friendship. He took the group home to his estate for a wild weekend. He thought nothing of buying a huge yacht. He was always drunk. It wasn’t hard to figure out his future path. We never even met his parents.

Charlie wasn’t really appreciated because he was so ‘ordinary.’

I found it fascinating to see the different characters playing off one another often for the wrong reasons. Kids of this age are so vulnerable and this came across.

The actors performed well. It was a painful story but I was glad I stayed until the end.

Apparently this film won an award at the Tribeca Film Festival 2007.