Latest news with #It'sKindofaFunnyStory
Tom's Guide
08-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Tom's Guide
Prime Video just added one of my ultimate guilty pleasure movies — and I'm almost embarrassed by how much I enjoy it
I'm not usually one to be shy about expressing my opinions on movies. As my recent, let's just say controversial, review of 'Havoc' proved, I've no problem going against the grain when I really like a movie. But, I still have some guilty pleasures that I'm a little more sheepish about declaring my enjoyment of. 2010's 'It's Kind of a Funny Story' ranks on that list. I quite like this comedy-drama set in a psychiatric hospital, but I can't deny there are a lot of flaws on display here. And yet, its tween-tone and bland protagonist have never managed to dent my overall enjoyment. Despite its hard-to-ignore issues, I have always found this movie very charming, and in my teenage years, more relatable than I'd like to admit. 'It's Kind of a Funny Story' recently arrived on Prime Video, and while I might be a tad embarrassed to have it on my watchlist, I'm glad its arrival on one of the best streaming services has given me the chance to revisit this heartwarming comedy-drama. Based on Ned Vizzini's semi-autobiographical novel of the same name, 'It's Kind of a Funny Story' focuses on Craig Gilner (Keir Gilchrist), a neurotic teen, who checks himself into a mental health hospital after struggling with persistent suicidal thoughts. Mixing with the clinic's other patients, he begins to quickly regret his rash decision to sign up for a five-day stay on the ward, but his outlook is changed when he meets Noelle (Emma Roberts), a fellow teen patient who might just provide the spark in Craig's life that he's been looking for. The 16-year-old also develops a close bond with Bobby (Zach Galifianakis), who takes on a mentor-like role, teaching Craig the ropes and also eventually opening up about his own mental health struggles and his difficult relationship with his daughter. 'It's Kind of a Funny Story' falls into a lot of predictable story beats, and I'm not especially onboard with its (arguably unintentional) message that finding a girlfriend will somehow fix all your problems. However, to this day, I can overlook these issues because of its offbeat charms. Craig is a pretty unengaging protagonist, but it's the people around him who shine. Zach Galifianakis is excellent as Bobby, bringing plenty of humor but also a deeper vulnerability underneath the happy-go-lucky facade. Galifianakis is the flick's beating heart, and pretty much all the funniest moments come from him. I still chuckle at several of his dry quips to this day. And Emma Roberts' Noelle makes for a suitable love interest, but it's a shame she's often relegated to being little more than a vehicle to help Craig find a reason to keep on trying. Frankly, the movie would probably have been better if Noelle were the lead character, as the few times she gets to step out from under Craig's shadows are among the movie's best. There's also a supporting role for Viola Davis as the ward's therapist, and while the material doesn't stretch Davis' chops, as per usual, she's reliably excellent. The movie's musings on life are most definitely not as deep or meaningful as they are presented, but there are a few nuggets of wisdom to be found here. And most of all, 'It's Kind of a Funny Story' is an easy watch with enough heart to feel like an underdog. And everybody loves an underdog, right? Critically, 'It's Kind of a Funny Story' was met with something of a shrug of the shoulders. It holds a 59% score on Rotten Tomatoes, knocking it just below the threshold for a 'fresh' rating and instead sees it come up rotten (which feels harsh to me). Its audience score is stronger at 66%. But both scores reflect the fact that the movie does have its flaws, so just don't expect a masterpiece. The goggles of youthful nostalgia may cloud my vision when it comes to 'It's Kind of a Funny Story,' but rewatching it now as an adult (at least, an adult in age, if not outlook), I still find it plenty appealing. Its issues have become more apparent with time, but its merits also remain. It'll always be a guilty pleasure. Meanwhile, if you're looking for some alternatives that rank above the guilty pleasure category, here's a rundown of everything new on Prime Video in May 2025. Watch "It's Kind of a Funny Story" on Prime Video now
Express Tribune
18-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Express Tribune
6 films that actually get mental health right, according to therapists
Portrayals of mental illness in film often walk a fine line. While some spark empathy and understanding, others fall into tired tropes or spread misinformation. But when a film gets it right with thoughtfulness, research and nuance, it can make all the difference. In a time when Gen Z and Millennials are leading open conversations about emotional wellbeing, therapy and neurodivergence, these six therapist-approved films stand out for how they represent mental health with honesty and care. 1. It's Kind of a Funny Story (2010) For those moments when life feels overwhelming, this film offers a gentle, human reminder that you are not alone. It normalises psychiatric care and highlights the healing power of connection. 2. The Perks of Being a Wallflower (2012) If you have experienced trauma or isolation, this film speaks to the quiet pain you might carry. It is a powerful reminder that healing can begin with the right people who truly see you. 3. Still Alice (2014) A heartbreaking yet honest depiction of early-onset Alzheimer's disease and the slow erosion of identity. It invites viewers to sit with grief, memory loss and the quiet dignity in decline. 4. Good Will Hunting (1997) For anyone bottling trauma or pushing others away, this one hits home. It captures how therapy can be tough, but also transformative when trust is earned. 5. Silver Linings Playbook (2012) This is for those navigating bipolar disorder, grief or emotional chaos. It is raw and real, showing that recovery is never linear, and being seen by someone else can be its own form of healing. 6. A Beautiful Mind (2001) A deeply affecting story about schizophrenia, love and persistence. This film shows that mental illness does not erase brilliance or humanity and that resilience can look many different ways.
Wall Street Journal
03-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Wall Street Journal
‘Freaky Tales' Review: In the Footsteps of ‘Pulp Fiction'
The feature-length anthology 'Freaky Tales' is joyfully anchored in a specific time and place: It's 1987 Oakland, Calif., where we're told there's a cosmic green glow that infuses everything with a mystical power. There is indeed a recognizable vibe to the film, but it is derived from a somewhat more mundane force: the oeuvre of Quentin Tarantino. Ryan Fleck and Anna Boden, who made soulful indies ('Half Nelson,' 'It's Kind of a Funny Story') before they took a detour into franchise filmmaking with the billion-dollar earner 'Captain Marvel,' have returned to their roots after a six-year absence from cinemas. They serve as both writers and directors of this 'Pulp Fiction'-style four-chapter tale that finally coheres with a thumper of a final act that is awash in righteous gore served up with an arch sensibility. That conclusion both supplies an alternative fantasy ending to a highly publicized real-life occurrence (à la 'Once Upon a Time . . . in Hollywood') and centers on a vengeance-minded figure with an East Asian outlook dispatching baddies with a sword while wearing a snazzy tracksuit like the Bride in 'Kill Bill.' Mr. Fleck (who grew up in Oakland and neighboring Berkeley) and Ms. Boden might have been credited with some inventiveness if they had dug up a more obscure artist to whom to pay homage, but given Mr. Tarantino's status as perhaps the single most imitated filmmaker of his generation, 'Freaky Tales' can hardly avoid being stamped as derivative. Which is not to say it isn't fun, at least intermittently. Did you know the guy who was in 'Splash' used to sell hot dogs at Oakland A's games? Characters keep bringing this up, sometimes referring to the actor in question as the guy from 'Bachelor Party' or 'The Money Pit.' Though these are perhaps not the three projects he is today most proud of, Tom Hanks is ever the good sport, and obligingly appears in the film. He plays Hank, the impressively, and annoyingly, well-informed owner of a video store. From the checkout counter he slings unsolicited film commentary along with VHS rentals (and is hence yet another reminder of Mr. Tarantino, famously a chatty video-store clerk around the same time). Mr. Hanks joins a sprawling cast of characters who wander in and out of each other's stories in the four chapters, which strike different tones as if alluding to different types of '80s movies. In the first, a multicultural group of youngsters led by Tina (Ji-young Yoo) and Lucid (Jack Champion) who dance at the Berkeley punk club 924 Gilman Street take up arms against a gang of skinhead thugs who have been terrorizing them. In chapter two, a pair of aspiring hip-hop singers, Barbie (Dominique Thorne) and Entice (Normani), are invited to perform at a club where they get into a comical rap battle with an established, real-life master of the form, Too Short (DeMario Symba Driver). The artist, an early avatar of West Coast hip-hop, also narrates the film and has a cameo as a cop; his 1987 track 'Freaky Tales' gave the movie its title. In the third section, a disillusioned loan-shark enforcer, Clint (Pedro Pascal), tries to exit the game after losing his pregnant wife. In the climactic fourth act, the corrupt cop (Ben Mendelsohn) for whom Clint works organizes a string of robberies at the homes of Golden State Warriors players while they're participating in a playoff game against the Los Angeles Lakers. Stretching across all of the segments is much excited discussion of 'Psytopics,' a New Age psychological inquiry, or self-improvement method, or cult that sounds a bit woo-woo in the California way but turns out to be highly useful in a crisis. One of its practitioners is the movie's hero, real-life basketball star Eric 'Sleepy' Floyd (Jay Ellis), who has a record-setting night on the court and (at least in the movie) an even more memorable one away from it. That over-the-top climax, despite its borrowed elements, partially redeems 'Freaky Tales,' which until then follows a zigzag path that is paved with clichés. Unlike Mr. Tarantino, who has few peers when it comes to dialogue and characterization, Mr. Fleck and Ms. Boden fail to keep the narrative energy consistently high. Still, with its love for trashy genre conventions and its referential humor ('The Shining' and 'Scanners' are among the non-Tarantino features that earn an amusing shout-out), 'Freaky Tales' contains a bit more mojo than the average indie.
