A mental ward serves as the backdrop for indie quirkiness
Here’s a funny story: the directors of Half Nelson decided to make a lighthearted comedy. And the result is kind of funny.
Those of you familiar with Half Nelson or Sugar will notice that Boden and Fleck have gone bigger but not necessarily better . The film tells the story of Craig (Gilchrist), a troubled teenager whose desire to commit suicide leads him to a psychiatric ward where he meets a slew of characters more interesting than him.
Craig’s parents don’t pay enough attention to him, he’s in love with his best friend’s girlfriend and he goes to a demanding high school that has him filling out an app for a prestigious summer program. Why Craig should be more depressed than your average 16-year-old is never justified, and this lack of a legitimate excuse lands him firmly on self-indulgent territory until he himself realizes that, compared to all of the other people there, he has a pretty okay existence. This revelation nevertheless happens way too late in the movie to redeem Craig or make us embrace him as our hero.
And yet you must see this movie for one hirsutely good reason: Zach Galifianakis. Galifianakis plays Bobby, a guy who has tried to commit suicide six times and who embodies a touching combination of sweetness and vulnerability with a big dollop of just plain crazy. Forget about Craig running around after Noelle (the customary love interest played by Emma Roberts). What makes the film interesting is learning why the usually supportive and kindly comprehensive Bobby is so distraught.
Anyone who enjoys the standard indie flick will enjoy this movie and be pleasantly surprised to see an awesome Viola Davis in an all-too-small role and a funny guy demonstrating that he is a good deal more than just that.
Directed by: Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck
Starring: Keir Gilchrist, Zach Galifianakis, Emma Roberts
Rated PG-13, 101 min.
3/5 Stars
