Stranger Than Fiction

This movie was marketed as a comedy, based on the previews I saw. Or maybe, I assumed it was a comedy because it stars Will Ferrell. While there were certainly humorous moments, I'd call this much more of a drama than anything else.

As a writer, I loved the premise of this film: Harold Crick (Ferrell), an anal-retentive, obsessive-compulsive IRS agent, wakes up one day to find that his every action is being narrated, as if he were a character in a novel. Across town, Karen Eiffel (Emma Thompson: We Must Love Her!) is struggling to overcome writer's block. As she comes up with ideas for her novel (her first in many years), it appears that Crick really is a character in a novel.

The thing is, every protagonist in a Karen Eiffel novel dies in the end. Once Harold meets Eiffel, and learns this, he strives to make more of his life. And, in a poignant moment, he accepts the inevitability of his death. This was a deep movie! Will Ferrell proved that he has a wide range as an actor, and his image of being a Big Goof is seriously flawed. Of course, I love Will Ferrell as The Big Goof; I think that's why I was very, very surprised at this film.

There was one slightly unbelievable plotline: Crick's love affair with Ana Pascal (Maggie Gyllenhaal), a bakery owner he has to audit. The pair just didn't seem evenly matched (Farrell is ten years older, but she seems much younger than she is), and something was off. Still, the story was very sweet, and you have to root for Will Ferrell, regardless.

I was most interested in the commentary on death, life, and writing that this film offered. I always think of my characters (or, other peoples' characters) as being alive somehow; so the literal translation of this thought was a great idea. At one point, Eiffel ponders, with much regret, on the fact that she has 'killed' so many characters, i.e., people. I won't go THAT far into speculation; I kill characters because it's the plot, and the plot, many times, I have very little control over. But the joy is, in fiction, that killing a character does not mean they are gone. Just like in life, when someone dies, they aren't really gone. There's always memories, and photos, and the spirit that lives on. It's a bit more obvious with fiction, because you can read a story again, and re-live it all. But hopefully you know what I mean.

I recommend this movie, especially for writer-types and Lit lovers. Also, for Will Ferrell and Emma Thompson fans. They were both terrific in this film.

Grade: B+

Have a great day!