Funny Story 2

After contemplating suicide by jumping off the Brooklyn Bridge, 16-year-old Craig Gilner (Keir Gilchrist), decides to go to the hospital to seek help. Craig tells Dr. Mahmoud (Aasif Mandvi) that he needs immediate help to which Dr. Mahmoud registers Craig for a one week stay in the hospital's psychiatric floor.^[3][4] It is revealed that Craig has a lot of pressure at his high school, such as Executive Pre-Professional (based on Manhattan's Stuyvesant High School) stressing over the need to turn in an application for a prestigious summer school, his shortcomings in the shadow of his best friend, Aaron (Thomas Mann), who is considered to be great at everything, and his dad who pressures him to do well. At first, Craig is unsure if he made the right choice to stay, mostly due to the fact that his friends might find out when he misses school, especially Nia (Zoë Kravitz), his crush and the girlfriend to Aaron. He is placed in the adult ward with a few other teenagers because the teenage ward is undergoing renovations.

Craig is introduced to Bobby (Zach Galifianakis), an adult patient who claims he is only there on vacation, as he takes Craig under his wing. During a group discussion, Craig learns that Bobby is stressed about an upcoming interview in hopes of moving to a group home. When Bobby states that all he'll have to wear for the interview is the sweater he is currently wearing, Craig offers that Bobby could borrow one of his dad's dress shirts to wear, and Bobby accepts. Craig's kind offer to Bobby is witnessed by Noelle (Emma Roberts), another teenage patient who is in for self-mutilation. She is impressed by Craig and leaves him a note to meet with her that night. Later, Craig and Noelle attend a painting session for the patients. Craig paints a picture of an imaginary city map which he describes as like his own brain.

Throughout his stay, Craig comes to a close bond with various patients on the floor including Bobby and Noelle. Bobby reveals to Craig that he is a father of a little girl and that he is actually in the ward for attempting to commit suicide six times. As Craig tries to help Bobby with his problems, Bobby, in return, helps Craig to gain the courage to ask out Noelle. One night, Nia stops by to visit Craig at the hospital, revealing that she and Aaron had broken up. Craig takes Nia back to his room where she tries to seduce him. However, the two are caught by Craig's roommate Muqtada (Bernard White), an oldEgyptian man who has not left the room during his stay. As Nia runs out of the room, Craig chases her and calls out that he loves her, unaware that Noelle is standing behind him. Upset, Noelle storms off leaving behind a drawing of a self-portrait that she planned on giving to Craig.

Craig eventually wins Noelle's forgiveness, and the pair sneak out of the ward in scrubs and run around the hospital, ending up on the roof. There, Craig finally works up the courage to ask her on a date, and they kiss. When Craig has an interview with the head doctor of the ward, he explains that he wants to follow his dream of being an artist, and how he should be thankful that his problems aren't as bad as others. Later that night, Craig gives money to one of the doctors so that the patients of the ward can have a pizza party as a good-bye party for Craig and Bobby. He asks Aaron to bring a record, where he discovers Aaron and Nia are working out their problems. At the party, Craig puts on Egyptian music which encourages Muqtada to leave his room. Craig tells Bobby that they should meet up one day once they are released, which Bobby considers, and thanks Craig for changing his outlook on life.

In the morning, Craig asks Smitty where Bobby is, but discovers Bobby had left the hospital much earlier that morning. Craig is a little disappointed, but is happy that he and Bobby had left an impression on each other. After Craig leaves, it is shown that he starts dating Noelle, becomes better friends with Aaron and Nia (who are still together), has started pursuing his goal of becoming an artist, and has broke the news to his dad that he isn't going to follow his path, but his dad understands. The movie ends with saying while his stay didn't cure him, it helped a lot, and he can get through the rest with the help of his friends and family.