It's Kind of a Funny Story | |
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Theatrical release poster
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Directed by |
Anna Boden Ryan Fleck |
Produced by |
Kevin Misher Ben Browning |
Screenplay by | Anna Boden Ryan Fleck |
Based on |
It's Kind of a Funny Story by Ned Vizzini |
Starring |
Keir Gilchrist Emma Roberts Viola Davis Lauren Graham Jim Gaffigan Zoë Kravitz Zach Galifianakis |
Music by | Broken Social Scene |
Cinematography | Andrij Parekh |
Edited by | Anna Boden |
Production
company |
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Distributed by | Focus Features |
Release date
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Running time
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101 minutes |
Country | United States |
Language | English |
Budget | $8 million |
Box office | $6.5 million |
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 and received generally positive reviews.
After contemplating suicide by jumping off the Brooklyn Bridge, 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 his high school, Executive Pre-Professional (based on Manhattan's Stuyvesant High School), stressing over the need to turn in an application for a prestigious summer school, his shortcomings in the shadow of his best friend, Aaron (Thomas Mann), whom he considers to be great at everything, and his dad who pressures him to do well. At first, Craig is uncertain 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 Aaron's girlfriend. 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 will have to wear for the interview is the sweater that he is currently wearing, Craig offers Bobby 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-harm. 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 my own brain".