Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Moderate
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- Moderate
- earnest
- tense
- melancholic
- thoughtful movie night
- independent film night
What critics said
Critics broadly found the film earnest and carefully perioded, with sincere performances and class-conscious writing offset by predictable plotting and overly safe direction.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Charlie moves from lower Manhattan into an elite liberal arts environment where acceptance is filtered through class and status.
Mick Leary's antisocial behavior and violent reputation unsettle Charlie and his college community.
Critics specifically praised the careful recreation of the late 1970s and early 1980s, including its places and youth culture.
Charlie is defined by the need to face his fears as Mick's presence forces him to reconsider loyalty, courage, and complicity.
Films like The Education of Charlie Banks, and why
The Spectacular Now
shared coming-of-age drama, class anxiety, collegiate setting, and understated adolescent masculinity
Rushmore
shared teen drama, social hierarchies, outsider identity, and literary coming-of-age atmosphere
The Rules of Attraction
shared college setting, class tension, romanticized exclusion, and young-adult ensemble drama
Movie Details
- Director
- Fred Durst
- Release Date
- 2007-03-27
- Runtime
- 100 min
- Rating
- 5.9 / 10 (81)
Cast
- Jesse Eisenberg
- Jason Ritter
- Eva Amurri
- Christopher Rodriguez Marquette
- Sebastian Stan
- Gloria Votsis
- Danny A. Abeckaser
- Declan Baldwin
- Emily Boisseau
- Dennis Boutsikaris
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Amazon Prime Video, Amazon Prime Video with Ads
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is The Education of Charlie Banks about?
- A tentative Manhattan student is pulled into a dangerous friendship that exposes the class boundaries and fears governing his privileged college world.
- What is The Education of Charlie Banks like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of The Education of Charlie Banks as measured, its intensity as moderate and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is The Education of Charlie Banks violent?
- Somewhat. Ember rates the violence in The Education of Charlie Banks as moderate.
- What did critics think of The Education of Charlie Banks?
- Critics broadly found the film earnest and carefully perioded, with sincere performances and class-conscious writing offset by predictable plotting and overly safe direction.
- Which films are like The Education of Charlie Banks?
- Films with a similar feel include The Spectacular Now, Rushmore, and The Rules of Attraction.
- How long is The Education of Charlie Banks?
- The Education of Charlie Banks runs 100 minutes.
- Where can I watch The Education of Charlie Banks?
- In United States, The Education of Charlie Banks streams on Amazon Prime Video, Amazon Prime Video with Ads.
