It’s Kind of a Funny Story by Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck | 64 Respectable
I’m not going to pretend that I’m some sort of expert in the Indie Comedy genre, but I have seen Anchorman as well as Little Miss Sunshine, so I know what it means to A. laugh until my insides are outside and B. Fuse serious topics with comedic undertones. Overall, this movie is “good:” not excellent, not mind-blowing, and not necessarily a standout for any sort of award or recognition. What the movie does do, however, is give a sort of hopeful levity to the idea of killing yourself. Both Galifianakis and Gilchrist go through serious character transformations that are undeniably believable. But the end product is presented loosely, like a tooth on the verge of falling out. We don’t know if either is going to make it in the real world, and perhaps that fact is a reflection of how the real world works, but the subtlety of the directors in this area doesn’t sit well with the viewer. Gilchrist is a convincing, awkward teen, but almost too much. We are allowed flashes into his imagination, which help project different versions of who he is as a character, but in real life he’s much too constrained, making these flashes kind of absurd. The real highlight is Galifianakis playing an entirely pathetic and endearing Bobby, equal parts sage, comedian, and fear-gripped poop-on. He treats the topic of depression with empathy, which is an appropriate response to a disease that may be more potent than many physical ailments. But Galifianakis’ real genius is in his subtle two-sidedness. At times he is carefree: others, burdened beyond belief. Sometimes he’s as unselfish as Christ, and some, completely focused on himself. The transition back and forth, like a sort of modern-day Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, are both accurate and true to life. We are all on the verge of snapping; Bobby in It’s Kind of a Funny Story shows us that it’s ok to feel that way.
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