Shockingly Familiar

Rating: 10/10 (8 November 2011)

This one is certainly on my top 10. I was pleasantly surprised to come across such a creative story line. I had no idea what the movie was about beforehand, and I advise you see it the same way since in my opinion it is such a subjective movie. There is a huge amount of symbolism and often in a mocking sense. The cupcakes, the guitar, the IRS office. My favorite part of course is the Monkeys song.
I have always enjoyed a successful narration and the narration in this movie is absolutely brilliant. It makes you want to learn more about Harold, and I can't imagine anyone failing to feel for the main character.
So the story is a story of what at first feels like a typical overachiever. As the movie goes on however Harold's desperation and a lack of direction is portrayed in bits. That in itself is incredibly familiar to all our struggles to make something of ourselves in this life. There is an incredible balance between tragedy and comedy. It's not the type of comedy one is used to from Ferrell. Every time you laugh in this movie there is a sense of melancholy.
Some have suggested the movie makes a claim that only happy endings matter. I personally perceived the message as exactly the opposite. What's important is the story itself and it totally triumphs the ending.
I have to note that Maggie Gyllenhaal playing Ana Pascal is absolutely brilliant (and adorable too). She is the trigger for the plot and a development Harold would never ever thought would happen to him. Being so out of the ordinary, she is all that Harold needs to appreciate himself. Dustin Hoffman is incredibly funny and I thought he is a great fit for the quirky literature professor.
What makes this movie however is the story itself. This movie will make you think, think about challenging moral questions. This movie will make you laugh. This movie may make you cry. And most importantly, this movie will stick with you and i assure you, everyone can take something valuable out of it.