Good Things Do Come in Small Packages

Rating: 9/10 (9 April 2007)

These days, Hollywood movies like to sell drama in the form of reactionary deception, violence, and hopelessness. It's easy for the film industry to continue playing the strings of guilt, fear, and despondency. Stranger Than Fiction is a more rare find. It explores human choice and some of life's tough questions with a kindness, a humaneness that is neither contrived nor sarcastic. The film paints the characters with natural abilities to think philosophically -- which brings a sense of joy and optimism to the intelligent audience. I find it easier to engage in a movie that doesn't clobber the audience over the head with ostentatious political or corporate propagandas. The movie is also a gem in terms of its sincerity in celebrating the subtle acts of human kindness. This film's minimalist approach to human drama is one of the neat gifts that come in small packages.
Will Farrell gave a surprisingly good performance. This movie maybe the springboard out of type-cast roles.