Saturday, September 11, 2010

Toronto Days. Toronto Nights: It's Kind of a Funny Story


Well, so much for optimism, as it rarely brings good things. In terms of the Toronto International Film Festival, it appears critics are taking a strictly serious look at things, and leave no stragglers alive. It seems that the mental-hospital dramedy, It's Kind of a Funny Story is being crashed against at all angles. I was hoping this would be a welcome refresher, but it seems I was wrong.
Kevin Jagernauth (The Playlist): "It's Kind Of A Funny Story finds Boden and Fleck swimming into populist waters with middling results. Gone is the keen observation and deeply felt realism that made their two aforementioned features so moving. Perhaps the wide array of characters muddled their focus, but the film ultimately plays it safe to the point of pulling any teeth the material could potentially have bared, right out. It's Kind Of A Funny Story is kind of a disappointment. [C]"

Drew McWeeny (HitFix) "Gilchrist is the main problem. He's simply too bland to carry the film, too anonymous in his teenage angst. The film is shot to look like an indie version of the story, but it's cut like a studio movie through and through. All the big beats are there except for an ending that I'm almost sure they must have shot before dumping it, making sure to end everything with one big wet soppy hug. It's all empty ephiphany, unearned and insignificant. If you've ever seen any movie in this genre before, you'll be able to tick off each familiar beat as it happens. It's shameless, and a major disappointment, my first of the festival so far."

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