Craig Gilner is a teenager driven to the brink of suicide. He is crushed with the various pressures in his life, from his school's high reputation to his best friend's overachieving to his father's constant reminders to do better in class. He walks to the Brooklyn Bridge to jump off and kill himself, but at the last second he stops and runs to the hospital asking for help. The doctor listens to his requests and assigns him a week of staying in the psychiatric floor of the hospital, no self-check-out until cleared by the doctors. Craig immediately regrets his decision, wondering what will happen when he doesn't go to school-- what if his crush finds out that he's in the mental hospital? In the psych ward, Craig meets Bobby, a heavily-bearded adult with a kind voice, who is by far the most normal in there; he tells Craig he comes there on vacation, just to unwind from the stresses of the world. Bobby becomes a mentor of sorts to Craig, introducing him to everyone, including the lovely Noelle, a teenage girl locked away for cutting herself. Craig bonds with Bobby and Noelle over the course of the week, including various group activities and a few escapes from the wing to elsewhere in the hospital. Eventually, Craig's crush comes into the psych ward to visit him, and she tries to seduce him. They are startled by Craig's roommate, and when she runs away, he shouts after her that he loves her-- when unbeknownst to him, Noelle is standing behind him. Craig must make everything right, especially with Noelle, before his final day in the ward arrives.
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Best part of story, including ending:
Its title is appropriate, as it's kind of funny, kind of serious, and kind of well-acted (Galifianakis is the best in the cast). Overall, I only kind of liked it.
Best scene in story:
Craig's roommate is silent and never leaves the room, but when Craig throws a party that successfully lures him out of the room, it's a heartwarming moment.
Opinion about the main character:
Craig is incredibly relatable; anyone who struggled with the stresses of high school is bound to relate to his plight and like the actions he takes.
