Funny Story

This was a film that I had absolutely never heard of until I got an email in my mail box with a for your consideration email with a screener link from Film Independent that this film was being considered for all voting categories including the John Cassavetes award, which if you are not familiar with is for films that are made for under five-hundred thousand dollars. Reading through the about page on the films website, www.funnystorymovie.com, the synopsis did not stand out as anything special to me and seemed rather openly simple. After watching the film I am glad I took eighty-four minutes out of my evening to watch Funny Story, which is not actually that funny of a story, well I guess it can be depending on how you approach it and your life experiences going into it, rather that it is a movie that about a man who believes he is trying to do the right thing and realizing he in actuality is making things worse. When we meet our main character, Walt played by Matthew Glave, it is at a dinner and he is trying to break ties with a girl that is quite obviously younger than him, while trying to do the right thing he is hemmed in by a confession from the girl. This same girl who we later learn is the reason for his divorce and the separation from his daughter, whom he wants to still get to know and be there for. Walter was the star of a fantasy TV series that has a following and is a guest at a convention that is similar to a Comic Con, this convention is relatively close to where his daughter is spending sometime with friends at Big Sur, deciding to spend a little time with his daughter he heads out to Big Sur before he has to be at the convention. What he was not planning on was picking up a traveler in the form of his daughters friend, Kim (Emily Bett Richards), who’s mother has just passed away and car is broken down with a desperate for a ride to Big Sur, on the way after some drinks and a one bedroom hotel room things go bad for the two until it gets worse when the next day in Big Sur, Walter learns the connection between his daughter, Nic (Jana Winternitz) and Kim. Torn between telling his daughter about the night with Kim and made harder by finding himself staying in Big Sur with all young female friends of his daughter there for a special occasion and some that will test his conscience and will even more. Directed, Produced by Michael J. Gallagher who also co-wrote with Steve Greene, this is a film that I did not expect a lot going in, instantly though I was hooked onto the character of Walter followed by each subsequent characters, there was a real ness and honesty about each one and their chemistry with one another. This was a wonderfully made film for the budget it had that keeps everything simple and lets the dialogue and characters grow on the audience with a feeling that we are watching this man’s life and not a staged movie. When we first meet Walter he has a narcissistic air about himself while the story progresses we experience that shift of even him thinking he has the best interest of everyone that his choices and decisions ripple out to more than just himself and that some choices he makes he will have to take the burden of owning up to even though it will hurt those he is trying to protect. I am very glad I opened the email that was subject lined ‘For Your Consideration: FUNNY STORY’ because its a film that not only entertained me, but, left me after the credits rolling sitting for a minute processing what I experienced which to me are my favorite movies those that have a meaning or message that leave you processing for a minute before you click away or stand up from your seat. B.