Stranger Than Fiction

Rating:	★★★★★
Category:	Movies
Genre:	Comedy

Harold Crick is a boring man. He counts the number of times he brushes his teeth. He counts his steps on the way to the bus stop, and he’s even timed exactly how long it takes him to have lunch before going back to his work for the I.R.S. One particular day, Harold wakes up and suddenly starts hearing a voice in his head. The voice, Harold realizes, is narrating Harold’s life while he lives it. Fearing he’s lost his mind, Harold really panics when the voice says that he will soon face an untimely demise. That, in a nutshell, is “Stranger Than Fiction”.

I’m a huge Will Ferrell fan. I’ve seen most of his films, and I’ve even gotten the “Saturday Night Live: Best of Will Ferrell Volumes 1 and 2” on DVD. It was thus a bit of a shock, and a pleasant surprise, for me to see Ferrell play the awkward, shy, and boring Harold. His boredom gives way to a feeling of neuroses when he begins to hear author Karen Eiffel (Emma Thompson) narrating his life. Yet I never stopped rooting for Harold in this film. When confronted with his imminent demise, you even root for him more so that he’ll ultimately find a way to survive.

Director Marc Forster does fine work in presenting us the story of Harold and the novel that he’s inadvertently starring in. With quirky graphics that pop up when Harold counts or even weird camera angles (like an angle from inside Harold’s mouth!), we get some insight into what it’s like to actually be Harold. Consider “Stranger Than Fiction” a bit of a cross between “The Truman Show” and “Being John Malkovich”. But this film ably stands on its own because of the great script by Zach Helm, as well as the brilliant acting by the ensemble cast.

Emma Thompson’s Karen Eiffel is another quirky character integral to this film. She’s a brilliant novelist, but she always finds a peculiar way of killing her main characters Unfortunately, she’s suddenly suffering from writer’s block, and it’s up to somebody from her publishing house named Penny Escher (Queen Latifah) to help her clear her mind.

As Prof. Hilbert, Dustin Hoffman plays probably the most subdued character here. He’s trying to help Harold figure out why and how he’s hearing this narrative while also teaching classes and being a volunteer lifeguard. Maggie Gyllenhaal plays Ana Pascal, a baker who hasn’t paid her taxes because she disagrees with the government. When Harold audits her, he feels an attraction towards her. He’s not sure how to go forward though, as they are clearly polar opposites. Yet it is those differences that make them a fun couple to begin with, and it is so charming the way they slowly begin their little relationship.

Quirky dramas with a bit of comedy are becoming more commonplace nowadays. With films such as “In Good Company” and the aforementioned “The Truman Show” as perfect examples. I bought the DVD of “Stranger Than Fiction” not really knowing what to expect, only knowing that Will Ferrell was the star. I must say though that I was very, very happy that I did take the time to buy this film.

Jo and I were kind of annoyed because the DVD of “The Holiday” that I bought had German dialogue in the middle of the film (long story), so we were looking to just watch something light last Sunday. Luckily, this was one of the films I came to her house with, and we both enjoyed the film. Will Ferrell doesn’t need to play Ron Burgundy or Frank the Tank all the time to get a good laugh, he’s too good a comedian for that. Just give him a smart script, and watch the magic happen. “Stranger Than Fiction” has that magic, and a whole lot of quirkiness too… but that’s a good thing.