Very enjoyable

Rating: 9/10 (5 March 2007)

Without being able to nail down precisely why, this movie is just wonderful. It's original and quirky without being too off the wall. It's funny in a dry and clever way (not at all what I expected from Will Ferrell), but also dramatic and romantic. The main characters are all so well cast the actors fit perfectly and work together naturally. Even visually it's "just right". As a reader I enjoyed the completely non-specific references to literature that still hit the mark (probably a different mark for every viewer.) It reminds me very strongly of The Shawshank Redemption, not in any specific way, but how both movies just leave you feeling good, glad that you got to see them, appreciative of the work that you never consciously noticed because you were lost in the film. Because of that no one part stood out to generate rave reviews and buzz and all that, which is too bad, but I think, like The Shawshank Redemption, this movie will just stay quietly popular for nearly everyone for years to come.