I didn’t watch many movies this past summer. X-Men 3 was pretty good, but everything after that was pretty dreadful (including Superman IMO). Clerks 2 was another shining star, as well. Luckily, the winter might shape up to be a bit better.
Stranger Than Fiction is a wonderful movie. If you read no further into the blog, know that. Make plans now. Go see it. It’s one of the best movies to come along in a while, with superb acting and great heart.
At first glance, it appears to be only what it is billed as–a funny romp with Will Ferrell ala The Truman Show. What it turns into, however, is a movie with more depth than is apparent. By the end, you’re left with a lot to think about. The movie leaves much to analyze about what part we all have in life and what forces are at work around us. I found it to be very thought-provoking, yet in a non-threatening way.
I haven’t seen Maggie Gyllenhaal in much, but after this movie I’m impressed. My initial reaction of “OH MY GOD, IT’S JAKE WITH BOOBS–GROSS!” was quickly replaced after she started acting. I might even be crushin’ on Maggie a little bit now. The quirky relationship that builds between Ferrell and Gyllenhaal is superb.
Emma Thompson does a wonderful job playing a completely neurotic writer, but I felt that Queen Latifah fell a bit short. It was hard to see what her role was exactly supposed to be. I’ve always been a fan of Dustin Hoffman, and he most certainly doesn’t disappoint.
Then there’s Will Ferrell. If you were to tell me that Will Ferrell was going to play the straight man, I would have laughed. The comedy in the movie is much more subtle than Ferrell’s usual fair and it’s refreshing to see that unlike many comedians, he can really carry at least a semi-dramatic role. He does such a good job of making you like him, that you really get involved in how his life is going to play out.
Overall, I can’t recommend this movie enough. When it’s over, take a few minutes to analyze what it all means and what the characters represent and I think you’ll find that you watched a much deeper movie than you at first realized.
Verdict: A