Stranger than Fiction

Rating: 7/10 (25 October 2011)

From director Marc Forster (Monster's Ball, Finding Neverland, Quantum of Solace), I saw a trailer for this film and thought it looked a clever comedy film, but I was glad to see there was more to it than just what I assumed. Basically everybody in the world has a life story, even the seemingly tedious, dull and repeating routine IRS (Internal Revenue Service) auditor agent Harold Crick (Golden Globe nominated Will Ferrell), who has an awkward attraction for baker Ana Pascal (Maggie Gyllenhaal). One day his life changes when he all of the sudden starts hearing the voice of female narrator voicing his every movement and thought with extraordinary accuracy, and it seems he is only one who can hear her voice. The voice narrating his life is Karen Eiffel (Emma Thompson), who coincidentally sees Harold's psychological adviser Professor Jules Hilbert (Dustin Hoffman), she is having writer's block and is unaware she is writing his life on paper for her book. It is when Karen writes about Harold being unaware that he is going to die that he panics hearing this in his head, and he is desperate to find who is writing this stuff, and he is amazed to see her on TV. He wants her to change her ending for her leading character, and ultimately not kill him in real life as well, but apparently all of Karen Eiffel's books have a character, most often the lead, die in the end. Harold does eventually get into contact with his narrator and he does convince her he really does exist, and now knowing that a real life is in her hands she is uncertain what to do with her story that she has worked hard on, she voices her concerns to publishing assistant Penny Escher (Queen Latifah). Certain that he is going to die, Harold decides the only thing he can do with the supposed amount he has left is turn whatever life he has around, including confessing his feelings for Ana, but in the end, after nearly sacrificing himself, it turns out a life he relied on himself, his wristwatch, is what dies. Also starring Amadeus's Tom Hulce as Dr. Cayly, Linda Hunt as Dr. Mittag-Leffler, Andrew Rothenberg as Doctor Mercator and RV: Runaway Vacation's Kristin Chenoweth as Book Channel Host. Ferrell gives both a funny and moving performance of the leading character, Thompson is likable as the real life narrator, and Hoffman, Gyllenhaal and Latifah get their good moments on screen as well, it is a charming story with good laughs, large and small, but it also has good dramatic thoughts and heart with its ideas of destiny and making a difference, a most interesting fantasy comedy drama. Very good!