Teenager Craig (Keir Gilchrist) is depressed, with a million things on his mind: he's head over heels in love with his best friend's girlfriend; and he has an application to a prestigious school that he hasn't even started. So one day he checks himself in to a psych hospital.
At first he regrets his decision and wants to return home. But soon he befriends fellow patients Bobby (Zach Galifianakis), who becomes something of a surrogate father to him, and Noelle (Emma Roberts), who show him the ropes. As Craig joins in with ward activities, he starts excelling, and gradually realising his own self-worth.
Funny Story does a great job of externalising Craig's internal thoughts, with the protagonist picturing himself in different scenarios, narrating his own perceived existence.
However, the film fails to encourage sympathy for Craig's struggles, an important factor when it comes to engaging with this film. Gilchrist is hardly to blame, though, coming off as a young Keanu Reeves in the looks department and showing acting chops very much akin to Michael Cera in his patented socially awkward roles.
Never before has a title been so apt. The film is mildly amusing, but it certainly won't leave you in stitches - not even with the spaced-out Galifianakis doling out the punchlines.