It's Kind of a Funny Story

It's Kind of a Funny Story, is just that.  After feeling depressed, 16 year old Craig (Keir Gilchrist; United States of Tara) decides to check himself into the psychiatric unit of a hospital, not because he's suicidal, but because he wants to take a break from his stressful life.  Inconveniently, the adolescent unit is being renovated causing Craig to have to bunk with the adults.  (BTW, don't watch a film about psychiatric patients with a psychologist, because they always have a comment to make, e.g., I learned that you're not suppose to put the adults with the adolescents.  Don't worry, I informed my sister that is why it's fiction.  Anyway, after being there about five minutes, touring the facilities to see the local schizophrenics and  manic depressive people, Craig learns that he doesn't belong there.  Unfortunately for him, there is a minimum stay of five days until he can be discharged.  In those five days, naturally, Craig makes a friend in Bobby (Zach Galifianakis; Due Date, The Hangover), falls in love with Noelle (Emma Roberts; Valentine's Day, Nancy Drew), and learns about himself.

Funny Story was written and directed by Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck (both known for Half Nelson).  I think they did a pretty good job considering they haven't done too many films.  This film was a nice dramedy, making jokes at the appropriate time so as not to bore the audience or pull away from the mood of the story.  I asked my psychologist sister and she assured me that it was pretty accurate to a psychiatric unit.  It was nice to watch a non horror film for once that took place in a mental hospital.  Of course Girl, Interrupted is another good example of this.  The characters were viewed as normal people with some serious problems.  You didn't need to feel bad for them because they didn't feel bad for themselves.  The film was also filled with hope.  Hope that the patient will have a home to go to after being discharged, or hope that the patient will feel better and not want to harm themselves.  I like how the film focused on what was happening to Craig and the other patients right now.  It didn't focus too much on the past and how they got there.  Of course there was a quick back story because it's nice to know a back story, but other than Craig mentioning a few times why he was there, the film didn't dwell on it.  The directors wanted to show someone growing because of experiences and other people, and they were successful with this.  I liked the quick summary of his life after the hospital at the end because it was reassuring to know that he had changed and his visit had helped him, not because he was suicidal, but because it showed him he could be a different person.  This film was a really nice film, and I highly recommend it.  You may not crack up with laughter, but you won't cry your eyes out either.  It's a nice mix between comedy and drama, so enjoy!