Despite “Charlie Bartlett” having a similar angst-ridden tone and sense of cynicism as “Juno,” it has a natural charm not seen in teen comedies since the long-past era of John Hughes’ “The Breakfast Club” and other Brat Pack favorites. Whereas the humor of “Juno” and other recent teen comedies rely heavily on offbeat characters and poorly executed one-liners, “Charlie Bartlett” is original and refreshing.

Perhaps this is because director Jon Poll and writer Gustin Nash revive the idea that the comedy and tragedy in the lives of teenagers do not have to be melodramatic in performance, but in essence. The result is a movie that is different from the rest not because of its style, but because it’s just outright smart.

Leading this cast is Charlie (Anton Yelchin), a wealthy but earnest boy who is kicked out of prep school before finally being forced into the jungle of public high school. On setting out in this new territory, Charlie does what he can to gain friendship, from trying out for the school play to befriending the mentally challenged kids on his bus.

After Charlie is beaten up by Murphey (Tyler Hilton), the school bully, Charlie’s fairly air-headed mother, Marilyn (Hope Davis), puts her son on Ritalin to cope with his new troubles. After taking the drug for only four days, Charlie puts his nose for business and his experiences in therapy to use by teaming up with Murphey. They cure the entire student body of their social anxieties, much to the chagrin of the self-medicating Principal Gardner (Robert Downey Jr.), who is also the father of Charlie’s crush, Susan (Kat Dennings).

The performances are what help “Charlie Bartlett” develop organically. There’s not one histrionic, tear-jerking moment. Every character is realistic and can be identified with.

Yelchin’s performance is as naturally charismatic as a modern-day Ferris Bueller. He portrays a boy who happens to be quiet but lets his personality do the talking. Yet even in more energetic scenes, such as the results of his experiences with Ritalin, Yelchin never seems wilder than he initially lets on. Meanwhile, Downey is more subtle than usual in a nearly flawless performance as the troubled, alcoholic principal. In every moment these two are on screen together, there’s a natural presence of the generation gap between them, but the hope for understanding is just as strong.

The characters are fleshed out by Nash’s script, which uses dialogue based around emotions, not single punch lines that set up cheap laughs. There’s a balance of talents between the actors and the script. It’s not trail blazing comedy but entertaining nonetheless.

While the humor and wit are well-balanced for a satire that dares to tackle the issues of absent parents and the over-medication of the iGeneration, the movie is partially unbalanced. It struggles in terms of when to let the comedy do the skewing and when to let the more dramatic moments speak directly to the issue at hand. The beauty is that both sides of this debate are represented equally without being preachy.

Regardless, there has not been a comedy this dark, witty and intelligent about teenagers since “Harold and Maude” in 1971, a tradition that “Charlie Bartlett” treasures and wears proudly on the arm of its ragged private school uniform.

“Charlie Bartlett” was written by Gustin Nash and directed by Jon Poll. It recieved three out of four stars.