It's Kind of a Funny Story (2010) - Review

It’s Kind of a Funny Story is a deceptively apt title for this.  As in, It’s Kind of a Good Movie.  Not so much so that I remember really anything about it.  To be fair, that could be because my Ambien had already worked its magic by around the midway point.  But in a vague sense, I suppose I enjoyed this film.  Not as much as I enjoy Ambien, obviously, but there’s nothing wrong with this.

The story is about a kid who goes to a psych ward after contemplating suicide.  Having dealt with depression before in my own life, I can relate to this premise, although the whole movie feels a bit too “schmaltzy dramedy” for my taste.  There’s a time and place for that I guess (I prefer it within the confines of the cheesily written episodes of The Vampire Diaries), but here it doesn’t really work.

The main actor, Keir Gilchrist, is fine but doesn’t live up to how awesome you think he should be when learning he has a name that cool.  Then ya got Zach Galifianakis going against type and playing a real human being for once.  And you have the cute but supposedly hellishly awful Emma Roberts in the love interest role.  Oh and Jim Gaffigan in a cameo as the dad.  That’s cool... I guess.  Sigh.

I'll never forgive you for ruining Evan Peters, Emma.

It’s fine, it’s just kind of... eh.  I didn’t really get invested at any point, although the Ambien did make a few scenes funnier at the time then they actually were.  That’s the great, great thing about Ambien.  Man, can I just start a blog about the awesome side effects of Ambien?  Shh, don’t tell anybody that it’s really addictive – no one will want to try it.  Or maybe they will.  People are dumb.  I know I’d take some if I still had a prescription for it.  I’d take it right now and it’s not even night time.  But seriously, don’t do Ambien, kids.

Oh, right.  The movie.  Yeah, take it or leave it.  It’s not going to have any sort of profound impact on you, regardless of whether or not you’ve been in a psych ward and regardless whether or not you struggle with depression.  It’s just not an impactful movie.  It’s just Kind of a Funny Story is all.