Based on the book by Ned Vizzini, It's Kind of a Funny Story finds a suicidal teen (played by The United States of Tara star Keir Gilchrist) checking himself into the psych ward for a minimum stay of five days. There he encounters various "wacky" types (hey, Daniel Faraday Jeremy Davies!) and, naturally, a young ingenue (boy hating Emma Roberts) ready to bring him into adulthood. But it's Galifianakis as the de facto guide that makes the biggest impact on him and the trailer. He's funny, touching and all-encompassing here. And really, if your movie co-starred the dude from The Hangover, wouldn't you make him the focal point of the ad campaign?
Co-directors Anna Bowden and Ryan Fleck are indie titans after Half Nelson and while this one wallows in a host of cliches -- the setting, the indie rock music choices, the "kookiness" -- it still manages to look good enough that I'll forgive them for the familiarity. Stealing the final joke in the trailer from Howard Stern's Private Parts might take me another few days, however.
VERDICT: Sold.
[via Yahoo! Movies]