Ferrell's best performance by far.

Rating: 10/10 (12 November 2006)

Nothing annoys me more than an average and unoriginal film that I forget before I've left the theatre. I prefer movies that are either extremely poignant and thought provoking, or silly comedies that don't require much brain-work. As a dedicated fan of Will Ferrell, naturally I was expecting 'Stranger Than Fiction' to be another of those silly comedies, which I was fine with, however this movie turned out be so completely removed from my pre-conceived notion of the typical Ferrell-style comedy and instead has become the first (in which I hope there will be many more) Ferrell-style drama.
While I love Will because he can alway give me a good laugh, I had to wonder whether or not he would ever branch out into the world of dramatic acting, or if next summer he and Adam McKay would spring another version of the Ron Burgendy/ Ricky Bobby story on us. However, in 'Fiction,' he gives the most stunning performance of his career. While Ferrell delivers plenty of laughs, it's his dramatic side that is a real treat. Finally, he's proved he is capable of delivering an emotional performance. He brings a sweetness to Harold Crick instead of silliness, so despite the fact that he's an IRS auditor, you'll find yourself rooting for him throughout the film. At first, I was afraid I wasn't going to be able to take Ferrell seriously as a dramatic performer, but his performance is so smooth and effortless that was sucked in right away, almost to a point where 'Elf' is no longer satisfying seeing as he's more than capable of performing at such a higher level.
In addition to a wonderfully satisfying performance from Will Ferrell, 'Stranger Than Fiction' was an extremely satisfying film as a whole. It's just different, in a good way. Kudos to Zack Helm for such a wonderfully unique screenplay. This isn't your average, predictable romantic comedy, it's not a tragic love story, it's not 'Anchorman' revisited, it's not a remake of something that came out in the 70s. I found it a truly enjoyable film simply because it's something I hadn't seen before. Just for originality it deserves a prefect 10, and for treating us to a side of Will Ferrell that was long overdue!