It's Kind of a Funny Story

Craig is a high-school junior in the gifted program, infatuated with his best friend's girl. When he realizes he's suicidal, he checks himself into the psychiatric ward of a hospital, thinking they'll do an observation, help him, and send him home in time for school the next day. Once in, however, he must stay for a week; the juvenile ward is being renovated, so he's in with adults as well as a few youths. Bobby, a man with a young daughter, shows him around; Craig notices Noelle, about his age. He tries to keep his friends from finding out where he is. He draws, goes to therapy, sings, helps Bobby rehearse an interview. Can Craig get the help he needs, even as he helps others? This is a lovely film which highlights the topic of mental illness in a sensitive, intelligent way.

At 43:29, Thomas Mann plays Craig's best friend, Aaron, who seems to be juggling 3 beanbags with his back to the camera, but this was faked using computer-generated imagery (CGI). This was made obvious when he turns his head to face the camera while continuing to juggle blindly. Looking carefully, with the video slowed down, one can see that each beanbag is properly caught in his right hand, but no beanbag is ever thrown from that hand just before a catch.