It's Kind of a Funny Story (2010)

A clinically depressed teenager gets a new start after he checks himself into an adult psychiatric ward.

Directors:

Anna Boden, Ryan Fleck

Writers:

Anna Boden (screenplay), Ryan Fleck (screenplay),

Stars:

Keir Gilchrist, Dana DeVestern, Zach Galifianakis

2 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Keir Gilchrist	...	Craig
Dana DeVestern	...	Alyssa (as Dana De Vestern)
Lauren Graham	...	Lynn
Jim Gaffigan	...	George
Karen Chilton	...	Nurse Harper
Zach Galifianakis	...	Bobby
Aasif Mandvi	...	Dr. Mahmoud
Jared Goldstein	...	Ronny
Alan Aisenberg	...	Scuggs
Zoë Kravitz	...	Nia
Thomas Mann	...	Aaron
Jeremy Davies	...	Smitty
Rosalyn Coleman	...	Monica / 'Under Pressure' Nurse #1
Viola Davis	...	Dr. Eden Minerva
Lou Myers	...	Jimmy

Storyline

Craig is a high-school junior, in the gifted program, infatuated with his best friend's girl. When he realizes he's suicidal, he checks himself into the psychiatric ward of a hospital, thinking they'll do an observation, help him, and send him home in time for school the next day. Once in, however, he must stay for a week; the juvenile ward is being renovated, so he's in with adults as well as a few youths. Bobby, a man with a young daughter, shows him around; Craig notices Noelle, about his age. He tries to keep his friends from finding out where he is. Little things: he draws, goes to therapy, sings, helps Bobby rehearse an interview. Is this the stuff of insight?

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Plot Keywords:

psychiatric ward | insight | therapy | preparatory school | mental illness | 

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Taglines:

Sometimes what's in your head isn't as crazy as you think.

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama | Romance

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for mature thematic issues, sexual content, drug material and language

Details

Official Sites:

Official Facebook Official site

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

7 January 2011 (Ireland)

Also Known As:

5 giorni fuori

Filming Locations:

Brooklyn, New York City, New York, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$8,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

£82,056 (UK) (7 January 2011)

Gross:

£82,056 (UK) (7 January 2011)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Focus Features, Wayfare Entertainment, Misher Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

101 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital DTS

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Paramount and MTV Films acquired the rights to the novel in May 2006. Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck were hired to adapt the screenplay with a view to direct after. After a while, Paramount changed their mind and put the production into turnaround. Focus Features then stepped in to acquire the property, keeping Boden and Fleck on throughout.

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Goofs

The soundtrack which made Moqtada get out from his room wasn't Egyptian. It was a Syrian song composed and performed by Syrian artists.

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Quotes

Bobby: I don't get wrapped up in a bunch of stuff I can't have.
Johnny: Relax, it's just for fun, bro.
Bobby: That's not fun. That's propaganda, man. All those Madison Avenue types telling you how to live your life. Fast cars, hot chicks... Reese's Pieces... Gucci... Werther's Original. I don't buy into that bullshit!

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Connections

Referenced in The Tonight Show with Jay Leno: Episode #19.6 (2010)

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Soundtracks

"Tourist In Your Town"
Written by Stephen McBean
Performed by Pink Mountaintops
Courtesy of Jagjaguwar
By Arrangement with Bank Robber Music

User Reviews

It's kind of an awesome movie.

"See, that's the part I don't get, Craig. I mean, you're cool, you're smart, you're talented. You have a family that loves you. You know what I would do just to be you, for just a day?"

Despite the fact that most critics were underwhelmed with It's Kind of a Funny Story, I found myself liking the movie. It's sort of a feel-good flick, despite being set in a mental hospital. Imagine a lighthearted version Girl, Interrupted with more teen angst (in a good way).

The story's about a teenage boy who's burnt out on pressure from parents, school, and his peers, exhausted, and contemplating suicide. He checks himself into a mental health clinic hoping for some kind of a quick fix, but instead has to spend five days in the adult ward (the youth ward is temporarily closed). He meets the requisite cast of oddball patients (including Zach Galifianakis), he grows close to the requisite love interest triangle (Emma Roberts & Zoe Kravitz), and he learns the requisite lessons about himself and life. 

So yeah, this isn't exactly a revolutionary movie. I enjoyed it, though. Keir Gilchrist is a likable young actor, and Galifianakis keeps thing from getting too serious with his quasi- mentor character. The young cast gives solid performances, as well (I've developed quite the massive crush on Zoe Kravitz, I hope she sticks around the movie biz for a long time to come).

All in all, not a bad movie to spend a couple of hours with. It leaves you in a positive mood, and the soundtrack is pretty rockin', too.