It's Kind of a Funny Story is yet another of those movies I added on my watchlist and got stuck there for ages because there was always something more appealing to watch. Or something that I had meant to watch for even longer.
Anyways, the story, which is based on Ned Vizzini's novel of the same name, follows Craig (Keir Gilchrist), a depressed 16-year-old who, after contemplating suicide by jumping off the Brooklyn Bridge, decides to check himself into the psychiatric ward of a hospital, thinking they'll keep an eye on him and send him home for school the next day. Getting out is not as easy as Craig pictured it though and, once in, his new psychiatric, Dr. Minerva (Viola Davis), forces him to stay for five days. During his stay, he quickly befriends Bobby (Zach Galifianakis), an optimistic adult, and Noelle (Emma Roberts), a sweet teenager.
As any another movie about depressed teenagers I've seen, It's Kind of a Funny Story doesn't have much of a plot as it rather focuses on its characters and the interactions between them than events. In addition, it lacks originality and it's fairly predictable, but at least it delivers a good message about dealing with problems and seeking help when in need.
The main characters —Craig, Bobby, and Noelle— could have been written better as most of the characterization and development comes from their quirks and, in Craig's case, from annoying, voiceover monologues; still, they are decent enough to make you care about them and root for them, and each of them grows throughout the film so I guess we can call that a win. Unfortunately, the supporting characters don't make a lot of sense, especially Craig's parents and sisters and Dr. Minerva, which is nothing but a way to waste a talented actress such as Viola Davis.
As for the performances, Keir Gilchrist is barely decent as the teenager who is depressed simply because he is a teenager, and is overwhelmed by the too-serious world he lives in as he lacks the charisma and wit required for the role, and Emma Roberts is decent as Noelle, a character we know nothing about other than her having self-harm issues. Both because of these two weak performances and because he does a pretty good job, Zach Galifianakis steals the show as Bobby, a divorcé who is pessimistic about his past but very optimistic about his future. He brings so much humanity to the character and finds a nice balance between comedy and drama.
 |
| Focus Features |
As for the direction, I'm not sure Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck were the right people to make this film. The tone of It's Kind of a Funny Story is way lighter than Half Nelson's. While this is not a problem, the facts that most of the comedy here doesn't really work and that there isn't a balance between humour and drama are. Also, this kind of story feels too bland for them.
Don't get me wrong, the film is still enjoyable, but it's not as good as it could have been, as good as Boden and Fleck could have made it.
