Stranger Than Fiction

Rating: 10/10 (2 November 2006)

I was recently given the opportunity to see a screening of "Stranger Than Fiction", a new film by director Marc Forster (who also directed the acclaimed "Monster's Ball" and "Finding Neverland"). After seeing the many trailers for this particular film, I came into the crowded movie theater expecting another silly Will Ferrell movie with asinine jokes and situational irony around every bend.
Fortunately enough, this movie caught me off guard. Although it is categorized as a comedy under IMDb and other websites alike, I found it to be much more of a drama than anything else. I maybe laughed once or twice throughout the extent of the movie. I was much more enthralled in the story being unraveled through each reel, almost every scene filled with ingenuity and cleverness.
In my opinion, I see this film as Will Ferrell's best role in a movie. I had been beginning to see him as a continuous actor, always playing the same "funny guy" roles in every film. But he took a delightful turn in this as Mr. Harold Crick, a very structured and organized middle-aged man who follows a specific routine every day. I found Will Ferrell to be both humorous and charming in this certain role, and I believe he portrayed his character really well.
The other actors in this movie that I thought really, really stood out are Maggie Gyllenhaal, Emma Thompson, and Dustin Hoffman. Gyllenhaal, as the obnoxious yet delightful Ana Pascal, somehow managed to become the apple of everyone's eye even through her rather harsh façade. Thompson, as the kooky and exuberantly depressed Kay Eiffel, brought out a comic relief that was very refreshing from other films. Almost every scene featuring Thompson and the always splendid Queen Latifah are simply movie magic. Hoffman, as the eccentric and witty Prof. Jules Hilbert, was probably my favourite actor in the entire film. I shared his views and I thought he was amazing in his role.
Throughout the entirety of this movie, the plot thickens and thickens until you've begun to really feel for Harold and Kay alike, even though they completely contrast each other (you know, except for the fact that she's narrating his life). The ending is certainly one I will not forget, and I loved how everything pulled together for the conclusion.
"Stranger Than Fiction" is definitely one you'll want to check out sometime, whether it is in theaters or on DVD.
8/10