Stranger Than Fiction (2006)
Genre: Comedy / Romance
Duration: 113 minuten
Country:
United States
Directed by: Marc Forster
Stars: Will Ferrell, Maggie Gyllenhaal and Dustin Hoffman
IMDb score:
7,5 (240.391)
Releasedate: 9 September 2006
Stranger Than Fiction plot
"Harold Crick isn't ready to go. Period."
Harold Crick is a tax inspector whose life is turned upside down when he hears his life story, by a voice only he can hear. This narrator, Karen Eiffel, is a writer who is trying to finish her latest novel, but she does not know that her main character actually lives and his life takes place through her words. Desperately, Harold seeks help from an eccentric professor.
Actors and actresses
Harold Crick
Ana Pascal
Professor Jules Hilbert
Karen Eiffel
Penny Escher
Junge
Kronecker Bus Driver
Young Boy's Father
Dave
Polish Woman
Reviews & comments
Black Math
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- 5417 messages
- 1741 votes
Seen for the third time if I'm right; the previous revision must have been at least five years ago. This time too the film falls well, albeit slightly less than the previous times.
The starting point is of course very unusual and therefore nice and fresh: a main character who can hear the voice-over. Visually the film also feels fresh, especially in the beginning, with many details in the form of annotations in the image. This will diminish later, but the tone is set.
Nice role for Ferrell, but especially Hoffman steals the show for me with his bone-dry character. And so the film looks nice, the premise is well worked out until we arrive at the end. The previous times I didn't really know what to think of that ending, but now it's clear to me: a wrong denouement has been chosen. Especially because it seems to steer in a different direction and they build up the atmosphere in such a way that the ending would have felt serene. And then one suddenly throws the steering wheel (not intended as a pun intended) and that does not feel good. That's why a half less than what would have been in it in terms of potential: 3.5 *.
tommykonijn
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- 5028 messages
- 2272 votes
I also saw this film a while ago and now have the same experience as my upstairs neighbor: it was no longer very fresh in my memory (fortunately after watching the trailer a large part comes back). That actually confirms that Stranger Than Fiction is not a film that made a deep impression on me. But what I still remember very well is that I found it a very pleasant snack.
Will Ferrell's performance is often compared to Adam Sandler's in Punch-Drunk Love and I can see why. I've never seen him act so understated before, and it can be said that he does it well. His role is admittedly in line with what he normally does; here he plays a lot less noisy. My compliments for that. The rest of the cast does a great job as well. Dustin Hoffman has a pleasing appearance as the professor trying to help Harold and Emma Thompson is perfectly chosen as the writer. Maggie Gyllenhaal also offers nice counterplay as a 'love interest' and the chemistry between her and Ferrell works. The story is pretty bizarre and that's where the humor lies. Harold's quest to prevent his death is extremely amusing and he finds himself in the strangest of situations. There is also a bit of drama in it, but fortunately the film does not go through with that. I did not experience it as heavy fare at all.
Stranger Than Fiction is a film that I would recommend without batting an eyelid. In any case, the film is interesting for people who normally don't like Ferrell's hysterical comedies and I think the audiences of those films will enjoy this too. Original story, great cast and the running time is actually perfect. Basically everything I hoped for.
3.5*
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