Film Review: It’s Kind of a Funny Story

About It's Kind of a Funny Story (2010)Adapted from Ned Vizzini’s 2006 novel, It’s Kind of a Funny Story tells the story of burnt-out teenager Craig (Keir Gilchrist), who checks himself into a mental health clinic citing exhaustion, and finds himself placed in the adult ward due to the fact that the youth ward has been shut down. Taken under the wing of fellow patient Bobby (Zach Galifianakis), the stressed-out 16-year-old attempts to endure his mandatory five days’ stay without completely losing his mind. His predicament is made somewhat more tolerable by the presence of Noelle (Emma Roberts), another teenage patient who’s struggling to sort out her thoughts.

Starring: Zach Galifianakis, Keir Gilchrist

Directed by: Ryan Fleck Anna Boden

Runtime: 102 minutes

Studio: Focus Features

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Review: It’s Kind of a Funny Story

16 year old Craig Gilner (Keir Gilchrist) contemplates suicide, facing numerous pressures in his young life, both in education and personally. He turns to the local hospital for help and is given a week’s stay in a psychiatric ward for further analysis. During his week in the hospital, Craig strikes up a friendship with Bobby (Zach Galifianakis) and later comes to know Noelle (Emma Roberts). The question is can Craig begin a long and difficult healing process, working through his many problems, or will he choose to remain in the psychiatric ward?

Craig is under extreme pressure with an application for summer school, pressure from his father to do well and then there is his best friend Aaron (Thomas Mann) who Craig both admires and envies, especially as Craig is in love with Aaron’s girlfriend Nia (Zoe Kravitz). When he enters the psychiatric ward, Craig initially believes he has made a mistake but gradually he comes to value his time there. He and Bobby become good friends and when Craig offers to give Bobby one of his father’s shirts for an upcoming interview, the kind gesture is noticed by Noelle who also befriends Craig. What begins is a potential romance but Craig still loves Nia and he can’t worry about relationships until he can find begin healing himself.

Balancing comedy and drama given the subject matter, It’s Kind of a Funny Story manages to get everything spot on. Gilchrist is great in the lead as the troubled Craig, while Galifianakis and Roberts support him well as fellow patients with difficult problems of their own. While some elements of the film may be difficult for some people to watch there is a real feeling of hope and positivity towards the end for many of the characters involved here. It addresses many of the pressures that face both teenagers and adults in what is so often an unforgiving world that we all share.

It’s Kind of a Funny Story is both a moving drama and an uplifting comedy about a young man with many pressures on his shoulders who is revitalised by the friendships and people he finds in a psychiatric ward. The film doesn’t quite reach the excellence of One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest but it’s still one of the best I’ve seen this year.

Verdict: 5/5

(Film source: reviewer’s own copy)

About the Author:

I was born in Barnsley, South Yorkshire, England and have always been a bookworm and enjoyed creative writing at school. In 1999 I created the Elencheran Chronicles and have been writing ever since. My first novel, Fezariu's Epiphany, was published in May 2011. When not writing I'm a lover of films, games, books and blogging. I now live in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, with my wife, Donna, and our six cats - Kain, Razz, Buggles, Charlie, Bilbo and Frodo.

David M. Brown – who has written 838 posts on Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dave.

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