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question:Generate response to the question/instruction based on a piece of given material Question/Instruction: In what ways does the film fall short in terms of its direction and pacing, and how do these issues affect the viewer's overall experience of the film? Given material: Those waiting for the arrival of the next "Juno" may want to skip "Charlie Bartlett," a relentlessly earnest teen film about a 17-year-old misfit who's been tossed out of one prep school after another for bad behavior. With bits and pieces borrowed from films such as "Ferris Bueller's Day Off," "Weird Science," "Risky Business" and a garnish or two from "American Pie," Gustin Nash has cobbled together the kind of screenplay that probably mirrors the awkward teenage years of guys who grew up to run major studios in Hollywood and love the idea of the high school untouchable who wins the girl, becomes the most popular kid in school and triumphs over the oppressive adult world around him. Charlie (Anton Yelchin) lives in a big mansion with his booze-soaked, Klonopin-popping mom, Marilyn (Hope Davis), but not his father, whose whereabouts remain pointedly unknown for a while. After getting pitched from his most recent prep school for manufacturing fake driver's licenses, Charlie gets sent to his worst nightmare: public high school, where he's quickly and repeatedly pummeled by the school bully, Murphey Bivens (Tyler Hilton). His continual failure to fit in lands Charlie on a shrink's couch and earns him a prescription for Ritalin. Charlie, the unrepentant hustler, gets an idea: He'll fake psychological maladies to secure prescriptions for various pills, which he and his new business partner, Murphey, will sell to high school kids. Meanwhile, Charlie has fallen in love with Susan Gardner (Kat Dennings), who is being raised by her divorced father when he's not holed up in his study drinking every night. Why does he drink? Because he's a former history teacher who's been kicked upstairs to the job of principal of Charlie and Susan's high school. Principal Gardner (Robert Downey Jr.) doesn't like Charlie dating his daughter, but he's even more resentful that Charlie seems to have the world on a string and is looked to as a leader by the other kids. All of this pretty much goes where you expect it to. We can't have lots of high school kids zonked out on prescription meds for too long, so Something Major and Entirely Predictable has to happen. Faster than you can say "After-School Special but without the laughs," Charlie is dumping the meds down the can. Other plot elements, similarly telegraphed way in advance, include: Principal Gardner facing off with Charlie and realizing that he doesn't need booze and he ought to be a better dad; the punk loser Murphey cleaning up and getting to date the girl of his dreams; and the real truth about Charlie's father finally revealed. Of course, there's a big finale where all the kids get an over-the-top chance to tell the voices of adult authority that they are capable of making good choices. There may not be many films where the young hero becomes an amateur shrink and dispenses prescription drugs to his classmates, but there are plenty of others where the misfit kid finds some other kind of ticket to popularity, only to realize, in the end, that there's no substitute for family values, true love, being who you are or fill in the blank. The script is adequate, although screenwriter Nash has created one distasteful character after another, and there's barely a ripple of relieving humor in the entire film. Charlie is precocious, at times bordering on insufferably so; his mother is a caricature; Principal Gardner is a gutless toady around his boss and a lousy dad when he's at home. The material might have worked better if the filmmakers had adopted a satirical tone, or even if they'd gone the whole "American Pie" route. Instead, the film grinds on with only a few bright moments. The big problem, though, isn't the script but rather the direction and, specifically, the plodding pace of the film. That's surprising, given that first-time director Jon Poll has a background in film editing. It may have something do with knowing pretty much what will happen from one moment to the next, but you keep wanting Poll and his cast to get on with things, or at least, energize the film some way or another. The tone is often just turgid. The cast is appealing and competent for the most part. Yelchin looks like a young Ethan Hawke and is fine at depicting Charlie's rise to the top of the high school heap, although he can't quite manage complete credibility when Charlie has his inevitable transformation. Dennings also turns in a winning performance as one of the few completely likable characters in the film. The two young leads keep the film afloat throughout. Downey is credible as the self-loathing Principal Gardner. For the most part, he mumbles and mopes through his role between swigs of booze until a final, over-the-top scene toward the end that only a really great actor like Downey could pull off. Why? Because with any merely competent actor, you wouldn't believe the scene for a minute. Yet, for all its problems, the film is often sincere, often earnest. It wants so badly to offer testimony to the possibility that a loser kid can turn his life around and have the whole world cheering for him. You'll find yourself rooting for the filmmakers in spite of yourself, and, more to the point, in spite of the mistakes they've made. -- Advisory: Contains sexual situations, drug use and coarse language.

answer:The film "Charlie Bartlett" falls short in terms of its direction and pacing, which affects the viewer's overall experience of the film. Although the script is adequate, the plodding pace of the film makes it turgid and lacking in humor. Despite the cast's appealing and competent performances, the film lacks energy and fails to satirize its material adequately. The film's earnestness and sincere intentions to offer testimony to the possibility of a loser kid turning his life around may make viewers root for the filmmakers, but the film's distasteful characters and predictable, telegraphed plot elements detract from its overall effectiveness.

question:Can you provide a brief summary of the plot and the characters in "Charlie Bartlett"?

answer:Sure! "Charlie Bartlett" is a teen film about a 17-year-old misfit named Charlie who has been thrown out of several private prep schools for bad behavior. He winds up attending public high school, where he gets pummeled by the school bully and lands on a shrink's couch. Charlie decides to fake psychological maladies to secure prescriptions for various pills, which he and his new business partner, the bully, Murphey, will sell to high school kids. Meanwhile, Charlie falls in love with Susan, the daughter of the school's principal, who doesn't approve of their relationship. The film also features Charlie's booze-soaked, Klonopin-popping mom and various other characters, including a punk loser, a gutless toady, and a caricatured mother. The film ultimately follows Charlie's rise to the top of the high school hierarchy and his inevitable transformation.

question:Can you give some examples of the predictable plot elements that detract from the effectiveness of "Charlie Bartlett"?

answer:Certainly! Some of the predictable plot elements that detract from the effectiveness of "Charlie Bartlett" include: - Charlie faking psychological maladies to secure prescriptions for pills, which he and Murphey sell to high school kids. - Principal Gardner disapproving of Charlie's relationship with his daughter, Susan. - Charlie's mother being a caricatured, booze-soaked, Klonopin-popping mom. - Murphey transforming from a punk loser to the guy who gets to date the girl of his dreams. - The real truth about Charlie's father being revealed. - Charlie dumping the meds down the can in a Something Major and Entirely Predictable turn of events. - All the kids getting an over-the-top chance to tell the voices of adult authority that they are capable of making good choices. These plot elements are not surprising, and they make the film feel formulaic and contrived.

question:Create a step-by-step tutorial detailing the ingredients and method to create at least 3 different hot appetisers that can be made easily using an electric kettle. Include appropriate safety measures and suggestions for presentation and serving. The tutorial should be easy to follow, concise, and visually appealing with pictures and/or videos.

answer:Step-by-Step Tutorial: 3 Hot Appetisers That Can Be Made Easily Using an Electric Kettle Safety measures: Always ensure the kettle is disconnected from the electrical socket before cleaning, and ensure there is sufficient water in the kettle to avoid overheating. Use oven mitts or a towel to handle hot components. Hot Appetiser #1: Steamed dumplings Ingredients: - Dumpling wrappers (can be bought from Asian stores) - Minced pork or chicken - Chopped scallions - Garlic - Soy sauce - Ginger paste Method: 1. Mix together the minced meat, chopped scallions, garlic, soy sauce, and ginger paste. 2. Take a small spoonful of the mixture and wrap it with a dumpling wrapper. Repeat until all the mixture is used up. 3. Fill the kettle with water and switch it on to boil. 4. Once the water has boiled, place the dumplings on a steamer basket and place it on top of the kettle. 5. Close the lid and steam for around 15-20 minutes. 6. Serve hot with a dipping sauce of your choice. Hot Appetiser #2: Cheese and ham toastie Ingredients: - Sliced bread - Ham - Cheese - Butter Method: 1. Take two slices of bread and butter one side of each slice. 2. Slice some ham and cheese and place it on one side of the bread. 3. Place the other slice of bread on top with the buttered side facing outwards. 4. Wrap the sandwich in foil and place it in the kettle. 5. Boil the kettle for around 5-10 minutes until the cheese is melted and the bread is crispy. 6. Serve hot. Hot Appetiser #3: Chicken wings Ingredients: - Chicken wings - BBQ sauce - Soy sauce - Honey Method: 1. Mix together BBQ sauce, soy sauce, and honey in a small bowl. 2. Place the chicken wings in the kettle and pour the sauce mixture over them. 3. Boil the kettle for around 30 minutes until the chicken is cooked thoroughly. 4. Serve hot with a garnish of chopped scallions or parsley. Presentation and Serving Suggestions: - Serve the steamed dumplings in individual bamboo steamers for a traditional feel. - Cut the cheese and ham toastie into smaller portions for easy sharing. - Sprinkle toasted sesame seeds over the chicken wings to add an extra crunch. - Serve all hot appetisers on a warm plate or platter to keep them hot. Remember to always ensure that the dish and foil is not touching the heating element of the kettle, and that the kettle is stable and secure when in use. Enjoy your delicious hot appetisers!

Released under the GPT License.

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