Stranger Than Fiction

Will Ferrell gives an impressively sedate performance in Stranger Than Fiction, a loopy romp of a film that feels like Charlie Kaufman lite. This point of comparison is probably its toughest challenge to overcome. It borders on being a meandering quirkfest at times and screenwriter Zach Helm is most definitely not Charlie Kaufman. There’s something painfully saccharine about these proceedings. However, it’s a thematically reflexive film that counters the audience’s critique by acknowledging objections to itself. This charmingly self aware attitude helps propel the film beyond its interesting premise and makes it an involving, literate, and unexpectedly tender comedy.

Director Marc Forster has always had the problem of being visually excessive and here he threatens to squash the film’s sincerity by adding silly little animations and other unnecessary visual flares. He’s a distracting character behind the camera with a great eye for most things, but a tendency to overstuff his frames. However, there’s only so much anyone can do to muss up such a cheeky little tale or ruin performances from talent like Dustin Hoffman, Emma Thompson, and Maggie Gyllenhaal. This trio of supporting players is probably the film’s greatest strength. They’re endearing and prickly characters brought to life with a great deal of fun and passion. It’s really just a joy to watch these three at work. Thompson is pitch perfect here and Hoffman is droll as ever. Plus, Gyllenhaal successfully segues from brooding indie sweetheart to delightful comedienne.

For anyone who doesn’t already know, the plot involves a loner named Harold Crick (Ferrell) who mysteriously begins to have his life narrated by the voice of famed author Karen Eiffel (Thompson). Just as he begins dating a local baker, Ana Pascal, (Gyllenhaal) and feels his life is about to change, he’s informed by the narrator that his death is imminent. He then works with Professor Jules Hilbert (Hoffman) to save his life and convince Eiffel to change her ending. Despite being a key feature, the narration gimmick fades in and out of the story quite easily. The best bits here come from the simpler character moments. Gyllenhaal and Ferrell make for a weirdly wonderful on screen couple. It’s their chemistry and other simple human attributes that make this film so lovely. Stranger Than Fiction is a tasty slice of surrealism, but it is truly its characters' wit and warmth that make it such an enjoyable ride.

Grade: A-