It’s Kind of a Funny Story
It’s Kind of a Funny Story (2010)
★★★ / ★★★★
Craig (Keir Gilchrist) was feeling suicidal so he decided to check himself into a mental clinic. He hoped that the doctors would give him a magical quick fix for the troubles that plagued his mind. After meeting Bobby (Zach Galifianakis) and several patients, he decided that it wasn’t the right place for him. But tough luck because the hospital, led by Dr. Minerva (Viola Davis), had a policy of keeping voluntary check-ins for at least five days. “It’s Kind of a Funny Story,” written and directed by Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck, was a strangely moving coming-of-age film. We weren’t always sure whether Craig was truly clinically depressed or he was just going through the motions of being a teenager. We have different emotional tunings but we all went through a time in our lives when every single challenge seemed insurmountable, that our parents (Lauren Graham, Jim Gaffigan) cared more about their jobs or our siblings than they did about us, and that our friends (Zoë Kravitz , Thomas Mann) didn’t always have our backs. It was a sensitive time and we had a tendency to interpret every opportunity as a chance for failure. The hyperboles felt painful and real. The film was aware of all those factors. It had a sense of humor but it remained respectful of its subjects. Instead of going for the easy laughs like making fun of a person who happened to have schizophrenia or had suicidal tendencies, it remained focused on Craig struggles and discovery that maybe he should be thankful for being smart, talented and, indeed, even cool and charming without losing his sensitive nature. More importantly, especially since the rate of teenagers being on medication is on the rise, the movie had an important message. That is, it’s natural to feel overwhelmed once in a while. It’s better that we care about our future than to simply ride the tide. We may not like where the tide takes us. I found Gilchrist’s acting to be quite effective. In the first ten minutes, he convinced me that his character was miltidimensional without resulting to being quirky. I saw a lot of myself in him because of his proclivity to internalize everything and interpret that as some sort of strength. Both of us can at times be blind to the fact that turning to a support system is a sign of strength, too. I also enjoyed watching Galifianakis because he played a new character. Instead of being a manic five-year-old, he was solemn and more controlled yet capable of expressing devastating rage. But his bouts of rage weren’t played for laughs because the material wanted to take institutionalization and recuperation seriously. Based on Ned Vizzini’s novel, “It’s Kind of a Funny Story” took its audiences through a humanistic approach in understanding Craig. His troubles may seem small to us adults (like the pressure he felt from his father’s insistence that he applied for a summer program) but we all have days when we feel like we can’t go on. But one day we just wake up and it turns out we can.
The Answer Man
Answer Man, The (2009)
★★ / ★★★★
Arlen Farber (Jeff Daniels), the author of the very popular book “Me and God,” decided to hide from the world because he was sick of people coming up to him and asking him questions about the being above and what they should do with their lives. When his back went out, he decided to see a chiropractor (the always charming Lauren Graham), unaware of the author’s identity, who happened to be a very protective mom of a boy (Max Antisell) who believed his father would come back for him in two weeks (he actually hasn’t returned in three years). Furthermore, a recovering alcoholic (Lou Taylor Pucci) learned who Arlen was and constantly asked guidance concerning where his life was going. The film had a very slow start and I have to admit that I almost gave up on it. Luckily, things finally started coming together in the last two-thirds of the picture and I eventually had an idea about what the movie tried to say about coincidences versus the actions we put in to achieve certain goals. However, the movie was supposed to be a comedy. I did not find it particularly funny or witty. I thought it was unfortunate because spirituality was a big part of the picture but it did not take advantage of that topic. It could have easily have been a satire (millions of people worshipped Arlen) but the movie had no idea what to do with itself. In the end, it was just a series of scenes that were sometimes awkward, sometimes cooky (considering Olivia Thirlby and Kat Dennings had small roles but both characters were very underdeveloped), and often forced. There was supposed to be a romantic angle between Daniels and Graham but they were in critical need of chemistry. I did not see why they would be interested in one another in the first place so when one of them finally made a move, I had a difficult time swallowing what I saw. I thought the movie worked best when there was friction between Daniels and Graham or when Daniels was just being a much-needed father figure for the boy. Written and directed by John Hindman, “The Answer Man” would have been a stronger project if it offered more answers than questions. For the past twenty years, Arlen lived a life of a recluse but the movie did not really peel away his layers. For instance, why was he so compassionate toward Graham’s character (aside from the fact that he had a crush on her) but the opposite toward others? Thinking of all the missed opportunities for the movie to be great makes me feel more disappointed. It had small moments of brilliance but they were not enough to save the entire work.
The Aviator, Away from Her, Bad Santa
Aviator, The
[ 4 stars out of 4 ]
Upon rewatching this film, I realized its greatness. Initially, I gave this a three out of four stars but now, I realized that this was a top-notch, four-star movie that deserved its Oscar nominations. Leonardo DiCaprio really came a long way from his “Growing Pains,” “Total Eclipse,” and “Titanic” days. His daring performance grabbed my attention from start to finish because he played his character with such charisma, grace and consistency. The fact that he didn’t win an Oscar for Best Actor for this film (or “The Departed”) still troubles me. As the picture went on, it gathered momentum and ended in an explosive and worthwhile manner. Another noteworthy acting came from Cate Blanchett as she played Katharine Hepburn. Every bit of neuroticism was spot on, to the point where they were eerily similar. This was expertly directed by Martin Scorsese, easily on my Top 3 Scorsese movies. The film is nicely paced for a two-and-a-half-hour film, well-casted, and an important gem that shouldn’t be missed by anyone interested in character studies.
Away from Her
[ 4 stars out of 4 ]
A whole new level of sadness pervades me whenever I watch movies about people who have Alzheimer’s disease. “The Notebook” was the epitome of that kind of film but this one definitely takes the cake. I love how this movie did not end up as cheesy, which “The Notebook” kind of did. The characters remained composed from beginning to end. I imagined myself in the male protagonist’s shoes and I can’t image keeping it together if someone I love volunteers to check herself in a home, let alone finding her being intimate with another man, not remembering that she is married to me. I found it admirable that the protagonist found the energy to remain loyal regardless of all the pain he had endured. I love the tone of the movie and everything that came with it. Hopefully, I won’t have to make the choice to send anyone to a home, specifically my parents. Imagining it shatters me inside and out. If you want a good cry, check this one out. It won’t disappoint.
Bad Santa
[ 4 stars out of 4 ]
Next to “Fargo,” this is one of my definitions of “Dark Comedy.” I originally wanted to see the film because of Lauren Graham since I’m a big fan of “Gilmore Girls.” Little did I know that I was in for something more. Billy Bob Thorton shines in this picture in so many ways: he was sarcastic, politically incorrect, mean without being ashamed, and sardonic. Despite all those negative qualities, I wanted to watch more because the picture’s humor is addicting. I wanted to see more characters to suffer, get hurt, and embarrassed. This film is definitely not for everyone, which is why I’m recommending it because at first I didn’t know that this was the humor I can relate to the best. This is a definite stand-out from your typical Christmas movies. A must-see for its daring screenplay and witty (if not offensive) script. I love it!
