Considering the kind of notoriety that Zach Galifianakis has gained since The Hangover, it wouldn’t be surprising if his next couple of features were half-assed moneymakers with sub-par supporting casts. But It’s Kind of a Funny Story is not that kind of film. This is a relatable and refreshingly quirky tale of growing up that deals with teen depression and anxiety in a more realistic way than most coming-of-age stories.
The film is based on New York Press columnist Ned Vizzini’s novel, which was inspired by his own experiences in a psychiatric ward. It begins with 16-year-old Craig (Keir Gilchrist), checking into the emergency room after experiencing suicidal thoughts. The hospital’s teen ward is under renovation, so he is placed in its adult psychiatric ward among a cuddly, motley crew of patients.
Parts of this film explore how different people respond to a loved one suffering from depression. Craig’s mother is supportive, while his father’s sole concern is how it will affect his schoolwork. Some of his friends are sympathetic, while others are insensitive. It’s an honest depiction of the wide range of relationships that characterize teenage life.
As a tightly wound overachiever at a competitive high school, Craig is just as conflicted as any of the confused youth in Dead Poets Society or The Breakfast Club, but his struggle is more nuanced. He stops taking Zoloft because he feels like he doesn’t need it. He reaches out for help, but then withdraws. Gilchrist gives Craig an awkward earnestness as he struggles to become stable without completely derailing his normal life, channeling Michael Cera without the self-deprecation.
The heavy tone of the film is curbed in part by Craig’s psych-ward mentor, Bobby (Galifianakis). Bobby has had an extended stay at the ward, and his serious emotional and personal problems help Craig put his more trivial academic situation in perspective. It’s a role that lends itself well to Galifianakis’s disarmingly off-kilter brand of comedy, but also grants him the opportunity to show his breadth of ability in a more dramatic role—a challenge he admirably rises to. Although Craig is apprehensive about the other patients in the ward, they are more eccentric and off-the-wall than menacing. Even Craig’s love interest, Noelle (Emma Roberts) is not given much psychological depth.
As Craig whiles away his mandatory five days in the ward, the audience gets a good sense of his captivity. The white walls and the rigidly-structured activities remind us that this is a completely alien setting for the teen. But at the same time, the more Craig tries to talk his way out of his own issues, the more he is forced to confront them.
A solid movie, It’s Kind of a Funny Story also boasts a killer soundtrack featuring indie rockers Broken Social Scene. And while its more cutesy moments occasionally clash with the more serious one, it leaves you feeling good and forces you to put that C- in perspective.
