Charlie Kaufman-lite isn't such a bad thing...

Rating: 8/10 (4 December 2006)

"Stranger than Fiction" is a smart, entertaining film that doesn't quite achieve greatness, but it's definitely worth a trip to the theater.
This is the story of a stiff IRS Agent who slowly realizes that he's actually a character in an unfinished novel, narrated by a voice in his head, and he's slated for imminent death. It would have been an easy setup to play for cheap laughs, or as pseudo-intellectual Oscar bait that takes itself way too seriously. So I was pleasantly surprised to discover that this is actually a very good movie.
Will Ferrell's performance is so understated in the early scenes that it almost defeats the purpose of casting him in the role. But as the story builds up steam, he does a fine job of balancing the comic and serious aspects of his character. Ferrell also has surprisingly good chemistry with Maggie Gyllenhaal, who is terrific as usual. Although the romance is not well developed (which makes sense, I suppose, in a film about the formulaic and arbitrary nature of fiction) the scenes between the two are memorable. Queen Latifah is unfortunately wasted in an underdeveloped role, but the rest of the cast is pitch-perfect.
It's true that Zach Helm's script can be described as "Charlie Kaufman-lite", but that's not necessarily a bad thing. The dialogue generates laughs without forcing them, and the story is clever without aggressively reminding us about how clever it is. The metaphysical and literary themes of the story are handled with a light touch, which keeps the fantasy plot devices from feeling completely contrived. By focusing on the human side of the story, rather than just trying to dazzle us with narrative complexity, "Stranger than Fiction" is ultimately more satisfying than Kaufman's "Adaptation".
This may be lite literature, but it's very funny in places, it has a stellar soundtrack, and it doesn't require you to check your brain at the door. As far as I'm concerned, that's entertainment.