The Education of Charlie Banks
Fred Durst
Strong House Pictures
 
2.5/5 stars
 
“Every kid grows up with a boogeyman under his bed. Mine terrorized Greenwich Village and smoked Newports.”
 
A robust interior monologue starts The Education of Charlie Banks off with high aspirations.
 
Charlie Banks is a cautionary and promising coming-of-age melodrama that in the end feels flat and drab.
 
However, this did not come without a superb performance from the cast.
 
Charlie Banks centres on its title character (Jesse Eisenberg) during his freshman year at a squeaky-clean upstate college and, briefly, at the peak of his upbringing in New York City.
 
Charlie becomes acquainted with his neighbourhood bully Mick (Jason Ritter) in the late 70s, almost sending him to prison.The pair become reacquainted in the early 80s when, upon returning from class, Charlie finds Mick in his dorm room. Mick commandeers Charlie’s rebellious roommate Danny’s bed for the weeks that follow.
 
The film plays out slowly, taking its time as an awkward tension between the duo grows into a predictable conclusion.
 
A pivotal moment in the film comes when a mousy character nicknamed “Buzzy Tim” (Alex Guarino) threatens to jump off a roof with a head full of acid. He paces and rambles about a 
famous French deconstructionist, which is exactly what writer 
Peter Elkoff tries to do with his script. He attempts to deconstruct the different plateaus of social class but fails due to the use of sloppy stereotypes, awful clichés and weak dialogue.
 
Danny (Christopher Marquette), constantly referred to as “Danny Boy,” provides a blatant nod to Robert De Niro that borders on insulting. The influence of Martin Scorsese is evident throughout and there is even a faint whisper of “mook” (see Mean Streets) when Charlie pokes fun at Danny.
 
The film marks the directorial debut of Fred Durst, a man given little-to-no respect due to his nu metal past.
Durst delivers an excellent first attempt at filmmaking, coaxing a steady performance out of the cast. He may thus have a future in film if he chooses his subject matter cautiously.
 
While Charlie Banks isn’t great, it’s decent enough as a first attempt to earn Durst another opportunity.