By BRENDAN HALL
Zach Galifianakis broke into the mainstream with his breakout role as Alan in The Hangover, one of the most comically genius characters ever invented. Yet, he has outdone himself as Bobby in It’s kind of a Funny Story, a charming and hilarious movie that perfectly blends humor and emotional appeal to form one of the best movies of the year.
The story is set in an adult mental hospital where Craig, a 16-year-old living in Brooklyn, admits himself after having suicidal thoughts. He is an average kid facing many of the common troubles teens face today (pressure to do well in school, girl troubles) but finds himself unable to cope with them. He is forced to stay in the hospital for at least five days where he befriends Galifianakis’ character Bobby, Emma Roberts’ (Hotel For Dogs) character Noel and a few others.
The movie does a terrific job at intertwining the heart-wrenching subplots with comedic relief, a task that could have gone horribly awry. The audience is able to feel the tense, emotional mood of the moment and then is brought back with a well-placed joke or act. This combination makes the movie memorable both because of the emotions it evokes and its great sense of humor.
The characters are what truly make the movie though; Craig , Bobby and Noel are diverse characters who everyone can empathize with. Honestly, the audience can relate to every character in a different way, which allows them to take a powerful message from the movie and really inherit a new perspective on life. That may be too sentimental, but that’s what makes the movie worth watching.
In short, It’s kind of a Funny Story is a movie you kind of have to see.