Everyone should see this great little movie by the creators of the fab Half Nelson (2006) and Sugar. Starring Keir Gilchrist as a New York 16-year-old who commits himself to a psych ward, it is remarkably uplifting. And who knew Zach Galifianakis could succeed in a dramatic role after all his slapstick work in The Hangover (and its upcoming sequel), Youth in Revolt, Up in the Air, Bored to Death, and Dinner for Schmucks? Jack commented that Galifianakis really looked medicated--good acting AND makeup. Gilchrist (Tara's gay son Marshall on United States of Tara) is touching as the straight teenager with two love interests played by Hollywood princesses Emma Roberts (daughter of Eric, niece of Julia, seen in Lymelife, Valentine's Day, others) and Zoë Kravitz (daughter of Lisa Bonet and Lenny Kravitz, was in No Reservations, more). The ubiquitous Viola Davis (series arc on United States of Tara, plus Eat Pray Love, State of Play, and her breakout role in Doubt) plays the psychiatrist we would all want our kid to have. Lauren Graham (loved Evan Almighty, Flash of Genius, and the series Parenthood), Jim Gaffigan (Away We Go, lots more), Aasif Mandvi (The Daily Show, Spider-Man 2 (2004), Music and Lyrics (2007), The Proposal), Jeremy Davies (Secretary (2002), Solaris (2004), Lost), and many others play supporting roles, including Matthew Maher (Dogma (1999), Gone Baby Gone (2007), more), who I'm pretty sure was uncredited in I'm Still Here.
The movie is based on a novel of the same name by Ned Vizzini, a New Yorker who was himself briefly hospitalized for depression at age 23. The borough of Brooklyn plays itself. There's also some excellent animation, as we expected from something with this subject matter. Co-directors Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck wrote the adapted screenplay and did the same on Sugar.
The David Bowie fantasy sequence in the middle is in and of itself worth the price of admission. Then there's some great indie music (complete list here, CD track listing here, with a few clips) complementing the score by indie greats (and Feist's first band) Broken Social Scene. The pace may be a bit slow at first, but chill. You'll get used to it. Though everything I've read points to this being a teen movie (directors Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck even screened The Breakfast Club (1985) for the cast and crew before the start of photography), we highly recommend it for all but very young kids.
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