It's Kind of a Funny Story (film)
Encyclopedia
It's Kind of a Funny Story is a 2010 comedy-drama
film written and directed by Anna Boden
and Ryan Fleck
, an adaptation
of Ned Vizzini
's 2006 novel of the same name
. The film stars Keir Gilchrist
, Zach Galifianakis
, Emma Roberts
, and Viola Davis
. It was released in the United States on October 8, 2010.
, 16-year-old Craig Gilner (Keir Gilchrist
), decides to go to the hospital to seek help. Craig tells Dr. Mahmoud (Aasif Mandvi
) that he needs immediate help to which Dr. Mahmoud registers Craig for a one week stay in the hospital's psychiatric floor
. It is revealed that Craig has a lot of pressure at school, is stressing over the need to turn in an application for a prestigious summer school, his shortcomings in the shadow of his best friend, Aaron, who is considered to be great at everything, and his dad who pressures him to do well. At first, Craig is unsure if he made the right choice to stay, mostly due to the fact that his friends might find out when he misses school, especially Nia (Zoë Kravitz
), his crush and the girlfriend to Aaron (Thomas Mann). He is placed in the adult ward with a few other teenagers because the teenage ward is undergoing renovations.
Craig is introduced to Bobby (Zach Galifianakis
), an adult patient who claims he is only there on vacation, as he takes Craig under his wing. During a group discussion, Craig learns that Bobby is stressed about an upcoming interview in hopes of moving to a group home
. When Bobby states that all he'll have to wear for the interview is the sweater he is currently wearing, Craig offers that Bobby could borrow one of his dad's dress shirts to wear, and Bobby accepts. Craig's kind offer to Bobby is witnessed by Noelle (Emma Roberts
), another teenage patient who is in for self-mutilation
. She is impressed by Craig and leaves him a note to meet with her that night. Later, Craig and Noelle attend a painting session for the patients. Craig paints a picture of an imaginary city map which he describes as like his own brain.
Throughout his stay, Craig comes to a close bond with various patients on the floor including Bobby and Noelle. Bobby reveals to Craig that he is a father of a little girl and that he is actually in the ward for attempting to commit suicide six times. As Craig tries to help Bobby with his problems, Bobby, in return, helps Craig to gain the courage to ask out Noelle. One night, Nia stops by to visit Craig at the hospital, revealing that she and Aaron had broken up. Craig takes Nia back to his room where she tries to seduce him. However, the two are caught by Craig's roommate Muqtada (Bernard White), an old Egyptian
man who has not left the room during his stay. As Nia runs out of the room, Craig chases her and calls out that he loves her, unaware that Noelle is standing behind him. Upset, Noelle storms off leaving behind a drawing of a self-portrait that she planned on giving to Craig.
Craig eventually wins Noelle's forgiveness, and the pair sneak out of the ward in scrubs and run around the hospital, ending up on the roof. There, Craig finally works up the courage to ask her on a date, and they kiss. When Craig has an interview with the head doctor of the ward, he explains that he wants to follow his dream of being an artist, and how he should be thankful that his problems aren't as bad as others. Later that night, Craig gives money to one of the doctors so that the patients of the ward can have a pizza party as a good-bye party for Craig and Bobby. He asks Aaron to bring a record, where he discovers Aaron and Nia are working out their problems. At the party, Craig puts on Egyptian music which encourages Muqtada to leave his room. Craig tells Bobby that they should meet up one day once they are released, which Bobby considers, and thanks Craig for changing his outlook on life.
In the morning, Craig asks Smitty where Bobby is, but discovers Bobby had left the hospital much earlier that morning. Craig is a little disappointed, but is happy that he and Bobby had left an impression on each other. After Craig leaves, it is shown that he starts dating Noelle, becomes better friends with Aaron and Nia (who are still together), has started pursuing his goal of becoming an artist, and has broke the news to his dad that he isn't going to follow his path, but his dad understands. The movie ends with saying while his stay didn't cure him, it helped a lot, and he can get through the rest with the help of his friends and family.
and MTV Films
acquired the film rights to the novel. Anna Boden
and Ryan Fleck
were hired to adapt the screenplay
. The film was later placed in turnaround and bought by Focus Features
.
Production began in New York City
on November 30, 2009. Principal photography
took about six weeks, ending on February 2, 2010. Scenes taking place in the fictional Executive Pre-Professional High School were shot at Poly Prep Country Day School
in Brooklyn
, while Woodhull Medical Center in Brooklyn stood in for Argenon Hospital.
As of May 13, 2010, the film completed editing. Canadian indie rock band Broken Social Scene
worked on the score
for the film.
in the United States on September 24, 2010. Focus Features later opted for a wide release of approximately 500 theaters across the US and a release date of October 8, 2010. The film premiered at the 2010 Toronto International Film Festival
.
To coincide with the film's release, Hyperion Books published a new edition of the novel, featuring photos from the film on the cover.
This film has been airing on HBO cable in the summer of 2011.
gave the film a 58% rating based on 125 reviews, with an average score of 6/10 and a consensus of "It's amiable, and it does a surprisingly good job of sidestepping psych ward comedy cliches, but given its talented cast and directors, It's Kind of a Funny Story should be more than just mildly entertaining." Review aggregate Metacritic
gives the film a 63 out of 100 for "Generally favorable reviews" based on reviews by 33 critics.
and Blu-ray Disc
on February 8, 2011.
Comedy-drama
Comedy-drama is a genre of theatre, film and television programs which combines humorous and serious content.-Theatre:Traditional western theatre, beginning with the ancient Greeks, was divided into comedy and tragedy...
film written and directed by Anna Boden
Anna Boden
Anna Boden is an American film director, cinematographer, editor, and screenwriter best known as the co-writer of the 2006 film Half Nelson. She is known for her collaborations with fellow filmmaker Ryan Fleck.- Life and career :...
and Ryan Fleck
Ryan Fleck
Ryan K. Fleck is an American film director, cinematographer, editor, and screenwriter best known for directing and writing the 2006 film Half Nelson and the 2008 film Sugar. He is known for his collaborations with fellow filmmaker Anna Boden.-Life and career:Fleck was born in Berkeley, California...
, an adaptation
Film adaptation
Film adaptation is the transfer of a written work to a feature film. It is a type of derivative work.A common form of film adaptation is the use of a novel as the basis of a feature film, but film adaptation includes the use of non-fiction , autobiography, comic book, scripture, plays, and even...
of Ned Vizzini
Ned Vizzini
Edison Price "Ned" Vizzini is an American writer who is the author of books for young adults. He is best known for his novel Be More Chill. He has been a columnist for the New York Press since his teens.-Life and career:...
's 2006 novel of the same name
It's Kind of a Funny Story
It's Kind of a Funny Story is a 2006 novel by American author Ned Vizzini. It follows a depressed teenager who becomes suicidal and checks himself into a psychiatric hospital. The book was inspired by Vizzini's own brief hospitalization for depression in November 2004...
. The film stars Keir Gilchrist
Keir Gilchrist
Keir David Peters Gilchrist is a Canadian actor. Gilchrist is known for playing teen Marshall Gregson on Showtime's original series United States of Tara, and for starring in the 2010 drama-comedy It's Kind of a Funny Story....
, Zach Galifianakis
Zach Galifianakis
Zachary Knight "Zach" Galifianakis is an American stand-up comedian and actor known for his numerous film and television appearances including his own Comedy Central Presents special...
, Emma Roberts
Emma Roberts
Emma Rose Roberts is an American actress, model and singer. She is the daughter of actor Eric Roberts and niece of Julia Roberts. Roberts became known for her role as Addie Singer in the Nickelodeon television series Unfabulous. She released her debut album, which also served as the show's...
, and Viola Davis
Viola Davis
Viola Davis is an American actress.Known primarily as a stage actress, Davis won a Tony Award for Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Play and a Drama Desk Award for her role in King Hedley II . She won a Tony Award for Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Play for her role in the...
. It was released in the United States on October 8, 2010.
Plot
After contemplating suicide by jumping off the Brooklyn BridgeBrooklyn Bridge
The Brooklyn Bridge is one of the oldest suspension bridges in the United States. Completed in 1883, it connects the New York City boroughs of Manhattan and Brooklyn by spanning the East River...
, 16-year-old Craig Gilner (Keir Gilchrist
Keir Gilchrist
Keir David Peters Gilchrist is a Canadian actor. Gilchrist is known for playing teen Marshall Gregson on Showtime's original series United States of Tara, and for starring in the 2010 drama-comedy It's Kind of a Funny Story....
), decides to go to the hospital to seek help. Craig tells Dr. Mahmoud (Aasif Mandvi
Aasif Mandvi
Aasif Hakim Mandviwala , known professionally as Aasif Mandvi , is an American actor and comedian. He began appearing as an occasional contributing correspondent on The Daily Show on August 9, 2006. On March 12, 2007, he was promoted to a regular correspondent.-Early life and stage career:Mandvi...
) that he needs immediate help to which Dr. Mahmoud registers Craig for a one week stay in the hospital's psychiatric floor
Psychiatric hospital
Psychiatric hospitals, also known as mental hospitals, are hospitals specializing in the treatment of serious mental disorders. Psychiatric hospitals vary widely in their size and grading. Some hospitals may specialise only in short-term or outpatient therapy for low-risk patients...
. It is revealed that Craig has a lot of pressure at school, is stressing over the need to turn in an application for a prestigious summer school, his shortcomings in the shadow of his best friend, Aaron, who is considered to be great at everything, and his dad who pressures him to do well. At first, Craig is unsure if he made the right choice to stay, mostly due to the fact that his friends might find out when he misses school, especially Nia (Zoë Kravitz
Zoe Kravitz
Zoë Isabella Kravitz is an American actress, singer and model. She is the daughter of musician Lenny Kravitz and actress Lisa Bonet. She has appeared in the films The Brave One with Jodie Foster, and No Reservations with Catherine Zeta-Jones...
), his crush and the girlfriend to Aaron (Thomas Mann). He is placed in the adult ward with a few other teenagers because the teenage ward is undergoing renovations.
Craig is introduced to Bobby (Zach Galifianakis
Zach Galifianakis
Zachary Knight "Zach" Galifianakis is an American stand-up comedian and actor known for his numerous film and television appearances including his own Comedy Central Presents special...
), an adult patient who claims he is only there on vacation, as he takes Craig under his wing. During a group discussion, Craig learns that Bobby is stressed about an upcoming interview in hopes of moving to a group home
Group home
A group home is a private residence designed or converted to serve as a non-secure home for unrelated persons who share a common characteristic.-Types of group homes:...
. When Bobby states that all he'll have to wear for the interview is the sweater he is currently wearing, Craig offers that Bobby could borrow one of his dad's dress shirts to wear, and Bobby accepts. Craig's kind offer to Bobby is witnessed by Noelle (Emma Roberts
Emma Roberts
Emma Rose Roberts is an American actress, model and singer. She is the daughter of actor Eric Roberts and niece of Julia Roberts. Roberts became known for her role as Addie Singer in the Nickelodeon television series Unfabulous. She released her debut album, which also served as the show's...
), another teenage patient who is in for self-mutilation
Self-harm
Self-harm or deliberate self-harm includes self-injury and self-poisoning and is defined as the intentional, direct injuring of body tissue most often done without suicidal intentions. These terms are used in the more recent literature in an attempt to reach a more neutral terminology...
. She is impressed by Craig and leaves him a note to meet with her that night. Later, Craig and Noelle attend a painting session for the patients. Craig paints a picture of an imaginary city map which he describes as like his own brain.
Throughout his stay, Craig comes to a close bond with various patients on the floor including Bobby and Noelle. Bobby reveals to Craig that he is a father of a little girl and that he is actually in the ward for attempting to commit suicide six times. As Craig tries to help Bobby with his problems, Bobby, in return, helps Craig to gain the courage to ask out Noelle. One night, Nia stops by to visit Craig at the hospital, revealing that she and Aaron had broken up. Craig takes Nia back to his room where she tries to seduce him. However, the two are caught by Craig's roommate Muqtada (Bernard White), an old Egyptian
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
man who has not left the room during his stay. As Nia runs out of the room, Craig chases her and calls out that he loves her, unaware that Noelle is standing behind him. Upset, Noelle storms off leaving behind a drawing of a self-portrait that she planned on giving to Craig.
Craig eventually wins Noelle's forgiveness, and the pair sneak out of the ward in scrubs and run around the hospital, ending up on the roof. There, Craig finally works up the courage to ask her on a date, and they kiss. When Craig has an interview with the head doctor of the ward, he explains that he wants to follow his dream of being an artist, and how he should be thankful that his problems aren't as bad as others. Later that night, Craig gives money to one of the doctors so that the patients of the ward can have a pizza party as a good-bye party for Craig and Bobby. He asks Aaron to bring a record, where he discovers Aaron and Nia are working out their problems. At the party, Craig puts on Egyptian music which encourages Muqtada to leave his room. Craig tells Bobby that they should meet up one day once they are released, which Bobby considers, and thanks Craig for changing his outlook on life.
In the morning, Craig asks Smitty where Bobby is, but discovers Bobby had left the hospital much earlier that morning. Craig is a little disappointed, but is happy that he and Bobby had left an impression on each other. After Craig leaves, it is shown that he starts dating Noelle, becomes better friends with Aaron and Nia (who are still together), has started pursuing his goal of becoming an artist, and has broke the news to his dad that he isn't going to follow his path, but his dad understands. The movie ends with saying while his stay didn't cure him, it helped a lot, and he can get through the rest with the help of his friends and family.
Cast
- Keir GilchristKeir GilchristKeir David Peters Gilchrist is a Canadian actor. Gilchrist is known for playing teen Marshall Gregson on Showtime's original series United States of Tara, and for starring in the 2010 drama-comedy It's Kind of a Funny Story....
as Craig Gilner - Zach GalifianakisZach GalifianakisZachary Knight "Zach" Galifianakis is an American stand-up comedian and actor known for his numerous film and television appearances including his own Comedy Central Presents special...
as Bobby - Emma RobertsEmma RobertsEmma Rose Roberts is an American actress, model and singer. She is the daughter of actor Eric Roberts and niece of Julia Roberts. Roberts became known for her role as Addie Singer in the Nickelodeon television series Unfabulous. She released her debut album, which also served as the show's...
as Noelle - Viola DavisViola DavisViola Davis is an American actress.Known primarily as a stage actress, Davis won a Tony Award for Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Play and a Drama Desk Award for her role in King Hedley II . She won a Tony Award for Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Play for her role in the...
as Dr. Minerva - Zoë KravitzZoe KravitzZoë Isabella Kravitz is an American actress, singer and model. She is the daughter of musician Lenny Kravitz and actress Lisa Bonet. She has appeared in the films The Brave One with Jodie Foster, and No Reservations with Catherine Zeta-Jones...
as Nia - Thomas Mann as Aaron Fitzcarraldo
- Aasif MandviAasif MandviAasif Hakim Mandviwala , known professionally as Aasif Mandvi , is an American actor and comedian. He began appearing as an occasional contributing correspondent on The Daily Show on August 9, 2006. On March 12, 2007, he was promoted to a regular correspondent.-Early life and stage career:Mandvi...
as Dr. Mahmoud - Bernard White as Muqtada
- Lauren GrahamLauren GrahamLauren Helen Graham is an American actress and producer. She is best known for playing Lorelai Gilmore on the WB Network dramedy series Gilmore Girls and Sarah Braverman on Parenthood.-Early life:...
as Lynn Gilner - Jim GaffiganJim GaffiganJames Christopher "Jim" Gaffigan is an American stand-up comedian and actor.-Early life:Gaffigan was born in Chesterton, Indiana and attended La Lumiere School in La Porte, Indiana. He is the youngest of six children and often jokes about growing up in a large family. He attended one year at...
as George Gilner - Jeremy DaviesJeremy DaviesFather Jeremy Davies , an English Roman Catholic priest whose parish is based around Old Hall Green, is a former doctor and also a leading exorcist....
as Smitty - Mary BirdsongMary BirdsongMary Birdsong is an American actress, comedian, writer, and singer.Birdsong was born on Long Beach Island, New Jersey, one of five sisters. She may be best-known for her role as Deputy Cherisha Kimball on the Comedy Central series Reno 911!. She is a former correspondent on The Daily Show and...
as Bobby's ex-wife - Novella NelsonNovella NelsonNovella Nelson is an American actress and singer.Nelson was born in Brooklyn, New York, the daughter of Evelyn Hines and James Nelson. Her career in films did not begin until she was approaching middle age, with a small part in 1978's An Unmarried Woman. Over the next thirty years, she continued...
as The Professor - Morgan MurphyMorgan Murphy (comedian)Morgan Murphy is an American stand-up comic and comedy writer. She was born in Portland, Oregon. She has performed in the Comedians of Comedy tour and appeared in the "Comedians of Comedy: Live at the Troubador" DVD. Bobcat Goldthwait cast her in the films Sleeping Dogs Lie and World's Greatest...
as Joanie - Dana DeVestern as Alissa Gilner
Production
In May 2006, Paramount PicturesParamount Pictures
Paramount Pictures Corporation is an American film production and distribution company, located at 5555 Melrose Avenue in Hollywood. Founded in 1912 and currently owned by media conglomerate Viacom, it is America's oldest existing film studio; it is also the last major film studio still...
and MTV Films
MTV Films
MTV Films is the motion picture production arm of cable channel MTV. Founded in 1996, it has produced films based on MTV programs such as Beavis and Butt-head Do America and Jackass: The Movie, as well as other adaptations and original projects. Its films are released by fellow Viacom division...
acquired the film rights to the novel. Anna Boden
Anna Boden
Anna Boden is an American film director, cinematographer, editor, and screenwriter best known as the co-writer of the 2006 film Half Nelson. She is known for her collaborations with fellow filmmaker Ryan Fleck.- Life and career :...
and Ryan Fleck
Ryan Fleck
Ryan K. Fleck is an American film director, cinematographer, editor, and screenwriter best known for directing and writing the 2006 film Half Nelson and the 2008 film Sugar. He is known for his collaborations with fellow filmmaker Anna Boden.-Life and career:Fleck was born in Berkeley, California...
were hired to adapt the screenplay
Film adaptation
Film adaptation is the transfer of a written work to a feature film. It is a type of derivative work.A common form of film adaptation is the use of a novel as the basis of a feature film, but film adaptation includes the use of non-fiction , autobiography, comic book, scripture, plays, and even...
. The film was later placed in turnaround and bought by Focus Features
Focus Features
Focus Features is the art house films division of NBC Universal's Universal Pictures, and acts as both a producer and distributor for its own films and a distributor for foreign films....
.
Production began in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
on November 30, 2009. Principal photography
Principal photography
thumb|300px|Film production on location in [[Newark, New Jersey]].Principal photography is the phase of film production in which the movie is filmed, with actors on set and cameras rolling, as distinct from pre-production and post-production....
took about six weeks, ending on February 2, 2010. Scenes taking place in the fictional Executive Pre-Professional High School were shot at Poly Prep Country Day School
Poly Prep Country Day School
'Poly Prep Country Day School is headquartered in the Dyker Heights section of Brooklyn, New York. Initially founded as part of the Brooklyn Collegiate and Polytechnic Institute, Poly Prep now offers classes from the nursery grade to 12th grade, occupying buildings on two campuses...
in Brooklyn
Brooklyn
Brooklyn is the most populous of New York City's five boroughs, with nearly 2.6 million residents, and the second-largest in area. Since 1896, Brooklyn has had the same boundaries as Kings County, which is now the most populous county in New York State and the second-most densely populated...
, while Woodhull Medical Center in Brooklyn stood in for Argenon Hospital.
As of May 13, 2010, the film completed editing. Canadian indie rock band Broken Social Scene
Broken Social Scene
Broken Social Scene is a Canadian indie rock band, a musical collective including as few as six and as many as nineteen members, formed in 1999 by Kevin Drew and Brendan Canning. Most of its members currently play in various other groups and solo projects, mainly based around the city of Toronto...
worked on the score
Film score
A film score is original music written specifically to accompany a film, forming part of the film's soundtrack, which also usually includes dialogue and sound effects...
for the film.
Release
The film was originally scheduled for a limited releaseLimited release
Limited release is a term in the American motion picture industry for a motion picture that is playing in a select few theaters across the country ....
in the United States on September 24, 2010. Focus Features later opted for a wide release of approximately 500 theaters across the US and a release date of October 8, 2010. The film premiered at the 2010 Toronto International Film Festival
2010 Toronto International Film Festival
The 35th annual Toronto International Film Festival, was held in Toronto, Ontario, Canada between September 9 and September 19, 2010. The opening night gala presented Score: A Hockey Musical, a Canadian comedy-drama musical film. Last Night closed the festival on September 19.2010 TIFF included...
.
To coincide with the film's release, Hyperion Books published a new edition of the novel, featuring photos from the film on the cover.
This film has been airing on HBO cable in the summer of 2011.
Critical reception
The film has received mixed reviews. Review aggregate Rotten TomatoesRotten Tomatoes
Rotten Tomatoes is a website devoted to reviews, information, and news of films—widely known as a film review aggregator. Its name derives from the cliché of audiences throwing tomatoes and other vegetables at a poor stage performance...
gave the film a 58% rating based on 125 reviews, with an average score of 6/10 and a consensus of "It's amiable, and it does a surprisingly good job of sidestepping psych ward comedy cliches, but given its talented cast and directors, It's Kind of a Funny Story should be more than just mildly entertaining." Review aggregate Metacritic
Metacritic
Metacritic.com is a website that collates reviews of music albums, games, movies, TV shows and DVDs. For each product, a numerical score from each review is obtained and the total is averaged. An excerpt of each review is provided along with a hyperlink to the source. Three colour codes of Green,...
gives the film a 63 out of 100 for "Generally favorable reviews" based on reviews by 33 critics.
Home media
It's Kind of a Funny Story was released on DVDDVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
and Blu-ray Disc
Blu-ray Disc
Blu-ray Disc is an optical disc storage medium designed to supersede the DVD format. The plastic disc is 120 mm in diameter and 1.2 mm thick, the same size as DVDs and CDs. Blu-ray Discs contain 25 GB per layer, with dual layer discs being the norm for feature-length video discs...
on February 8, 2011.