Funny Story is in select theaters on May 24th, 2019.
After failing to break up with his much younger girlfriend, ex-fantasy TV show star Walter (The Wedding Singer’s Matthew Glave) invites himself to his daughter Nic’s weekend getaway with friends in hopes of repairing their strained relationship. He obliges when Nic asks him to give a ride to her friend Kim, whose car has broken down after leaving her own mother’s funeral. Tragic comedy supposedly ensues.
I will admit that this movie had some very unexpected twists. Because it surprised me, I held out hope that it might redeem itself. However, it failed to pay off in the end. The film relied too heavily on lesbian stereotypes, while it failed to fully develop any of the characters to the point where one might feel some empathy for them. Walter seemed to be motivated by guilt and his penis, while Kim came off as a (possibly sex addicted) self-destructive person, Walter’s friend was horribly misogynistic, and Nic’s motives seemed questionable at best.
Minor characters who seemed to exist to provide comic relief were more effective at coming across as aliens. And perhaps the filmmakers were purposely trying to defy tropes, but I have to say it was very unsatisfying that the audience never finds out what was written on the card Kim gets in the beginning. Overall I was left befuddled by this movie and would not recommend it.
Rating: 2 out of 5
Joanna (Guest Contributor) was born and raised in Metro Detroit. A fan of thought-provoking thrillers and indie films, she also enjoys a good chick flick. When not at the movies, she can be found running, reading, or writing bar trivia. Click Here to check out Joanna's Articles.