DVD Review: Stranger Than Fiction

DVD Reviews

By Jeff Swindoll Mar 1, 2007, 14:23 GMT

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“This is a story about Harold Crick and his wristwatch.”

Will Ferrell proves that he can handle drama as well as comedy in this creative movie that is well worth your time. This is one of the better movies that I’ve seen in quite a while. Harold Crick (Will Ferrell) is a monotonous drone for the Internal Revenue Service. He’s obsessed with numbers and lives his life in a mundane routine. He’s in the process of investigating local bakery owner Ana Pascal (Maggie Gyllenhaal) who has not paid a portion of her taxes in protest of the government.

Meanwhile, author Kay Eiffel (Emma Thompson) is trying to write her next novel after having a bout of writer’s block. Her publisher has sent her an assistant named Penny Escher (Queen Latifah) to help her to finally finish the novel. What Harold doesn’t know is that he’s the main character of her new novel Death and Taxes. That is until Eiffel’s disembodied voice starts to narrate his life and only he can hear it. As if that wasn’t annoying enough, Eiffel happens to mention that Harold’s going to die in a few days. Harold consults two psychiatrists (Linda Hunt and Tom Hulce), but they aren’t helpful. Since his life has a narrator he consults literary professor Jules Hilbert (Dustin Hoffman). Hilbert reveals that Eiffel’s novels always end with the death of the main character and Harold is understandably upset. He starts to change his monotonous life and even finds love, now he has to track down the reclusive Eiffel and convince her that his death is not the way to end her novel. Although the movie was marketed as the typical loud Will Ferrell comedy, this film is more a quiet comedy that relies on literary conventions and subtle ironic comedy. In other words, don’t expect the Ballad of Ricky Bobby. This film has more in common with Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind in both its subtle nature and allowing its star, known for wild comedy roles, to actually act. Ferrell proves (like Jim Carrey in Sunshine) that the funnyman is not just the only guise and that a fine actor hides in the skin of the comedian. The film is superbly cast with Emma Thompson adding just the right amount of neurosis and pathos as she tries to overcome her block and actually finish her novel. Maggie Gyllenhaal again endears her character to the audience as we get to see she and Crick’s romance as opposites attract. However, my favorite character is Professor Jules Hilbert and Hoffman plays him to the hilt.

The filmmakers show Crick’s obsession with numbers in a most creative way and it adds quite a nice look to the film as the numbers come to life on the screen. As long as you’re not expecting the typical Ferrell comedy, you’ll find a very creative and endearing movie. I enjoyed the literary aspects of the film. I know that it’s one of the best movies that I’ve seen in awhile. Stranger than Fiction is presented in anamorphic widescreen (1.85:1) and is enhanced for 16x9 televisions. Special features start off with six featurettes. “Actors in search of a story” runs 18 minutes and interviews director Marc Foster, screenwriter Zach Helm, executive producer Eric Kopeloff, Will Ferrell, producer Lindsay Doran, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Dustin Hoffman, Emma Thompson, Queen Latifah, actor Tony Hale, Tom Hulce, and Linda Hunt. “Building the Team” runs 8 minutes and goes more into the crew of the film. It has interviews with director of photography Roberto Schaefer, editor Matt Cheese, producer designer Kevin Thompson, visual effects designer Kevin Todd Haug, and graphic artists Jed Carter and Tim Fisher. “On Location in Chicago” runs 10 minutes and adds an interview with Brenda Sexton (managing director of the Illinois film office) about filming in the city. “Words on the Page” runs 9 minutes and is about screenwriter Zach Helm. “Picture a number: the evolution of G.U.I.” runs 17 minutes and explains the production design behind the creative way that Crick’s obsession with numbers is brought to the screen. It adds interviews with Gunnar Hansen (of FX Cartel) and graphic artist Ben Radatz. The final featurette is 3 minutes of “On the Set” footage. Next are two deleted scenes. The first is the full 6 minute “Book Channel interview with Karen Eiffel” and the second is another 4 minute interview with author Peter Allen Prothero (played by Kevin Todd Haug) that played in the background of one scene. Finally there are previews of other Sony DVDs.

If you’re expecting the typical Will Ferrell comedy then you may walk away from Stranger than Fiction disappointed. However, if you go into the film with an open mind and no expectations then you’ll find one excellent film. I know that I greatly enjoyed the movie and would have to say that it’s one of the better movies that I’ve seen in awhile. Stranger Than Fiction is now available at Amazon. It is available for pre-order at AmazonUK for an April 2nd release. Visit the DVD database for more information.