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Screenwriter: Zach Helm
Starring: Will Ferrell, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Dustin Hoffman, Emma Thompson, Queen Latifah
Running time: 113 mins
Certificate: 12A
Harold Crick (Ferrell) is an uninteresting type. An IRS auditor hated by all and with only a colleague for a friend, a narrator (Thompson) explains that Harold has lived in a state of mundane monotony for the past twelve years, despite his wristwatch's efforts to enrich his existence. We learn, much sooner than Crick, that this narrator is in fact reclusive author Kay Eiffel, who is also stuck in her own rut of writer's block and, with the unsolicited help of assistant Penny (Latifah), is trying to find the right way in which to kill off her main character – Crick.
Things begin to go awry when one day Crick hears Eiffel narrate his morning routine. This intrusion turns from merely annoying to distressing when the disembodied voice mentions Harold's imminent death. Receiving only accusations of schizophrenia from a conventional therapist, he seeks the help of literary professor Dr Jules Hilbert, wonderfully played by Dustin Hoffman, who makes one of the film's funniest scenes as he tries to deduce whether Crick is in a tragedy or a comedy, helpfully informing him that he's not a golem.
Stranger Than Fiction is certainly (and happily) not a typical Will Ferrell comedy, and the actor has a chance to bring more depth to his character than usual. Ferrell's face is as always an important tool, this time concentrating on looking suitably bewildered in a relatively straight performance for him. Thompson, meanwhile, brings some class to proceedings, and is arguably even better as a disembodied voice than as the neurotic author in person. Maggie Gyllenhaal, who plays tax-evading baker Ana is as good as ever in her role, but the romantic chemistry between her and Ferrell never takes off. Their undeveloped romance is the most disappointing element of the film – it begins unrealistically and charmingly only to be later neglected.
In many places director Forster (Finding Neverland) steps away from comedy altogether, rather concerning himself with the interesting Charlie Kaufman-esque fantasy/reality existential plotline. That said, the opening twenty minutes in which Eiffel narrates Crick's every action offers laughs aplenty, even if the comedic pace does intentionally take a back seat after this. Forster is wisely careful not to push the joke too far, dropping it before it gets too old.
The film does contain a little excess weight, and again the romantic sub-plot makes it drag a little, but Stranger Than Fiction remains interesting to the end, even if the ending is something of a sell-out. Well worth two hours of your time, Stranger gives food for thought in much the same way as Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, albeit in more easily digestible portions.
