It's Kind of a Funny Story (2010)

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. 

Widows (2018)

Huge doesn’t even come close to describe how big of a fan I am of Steve McQueen, the British director not the American actor. It comes without saying that I was very looking forward to Widows, his fourth feature film. Unfortunately, my cinema didn’t show it so I had to wait for the home release to watch it.

The story follows three women who don’t know each other, Veronica Rawlings (Viola Davis), Alice (Elizabeth Debicki), and Amanda (Michelle Rodriguez), and whose only connection is their criminal husbands who got killed by the police during a heist. When Veronica learns that her husband, Harry (Liam Neeson), stole $2 million from Jamal Manning (Brian Tyree Henry), a crime boss and politician, and that Jamal wants her to give him his money back, she enlists the other widows and decides to carry out a $5 million worth heist planned by his late husband.

Widows is completely different from the films McQueen has made so far —Hunger, Shame, and 12 Years a Slave— and you can tell right away from its plot whose purpose is mainly to entertain —he still addresses sexual, political and racial issues, but they are on the background— and it’s entertaining. And engaging and interesting. The problem is that there are too many subplots and not enough time to develop all of them properly —it feels like a collection of stories with a forced connection—, there are many plot holes and coincidences, and the twist, although you don’t see it coming, doesn’t quite have the effect it’s supposed to have.

The characters too were a bit of a disappointment. This is the first time McQueen focuses on female characters and, since Gillian Flynn co-wrote the screenplay with him, I was expecting great characters. Unfortunately, they aren’t that fleshed out —because of this, I found it hard to connect emotionally with them—, and, if it wasn’t for the actresses playing them, they would be overshadowed by the male characters.

The cast, as I was saying, does a wonderful job though and makes you forget the many flaws in the script. Viola Davis is great as usual in the role of a strong woman who is very reminiscent of her character from How to Get Away With Murder, Michelle Rodriguez is feisty as always, Chyntia Erivo is barely in the film and yet manages to make a strong impression, but it's Elizabeth Debicki who steals the show for me as a fragile, vulnerable housewife who is done being mistreated. The actors also do a good job, the strongest performance coming from Daniel Kaluuya as he delivers quite a terrifying performance in the role of a psychotic henchman. 

20th Century Fox

Great performances from the cast aren't the only thing that McQueen delivers with Widows though. The tension he builds is nothing short of spectacular and keeps you on the edge of your seat for most of the film's running time. The cinematography is beautiful and adds a sense of realism to the film and the thrilling score fits the story very well.