Stranger Than Fiction

Abby_B · 10-06-2006, 10:22 AM

I finally watched the trailer for this the other day - and wow, I have to admit I am intrigued. It really looks *good* - funny, yes, but genuine it looks like - I really like any sort of narrative within a narrative kind of things (Thursday Next books rule!), and I haven't seen one that goes for this kind of angle in a while.

You know - I really like Will Ferrell a lot. I think he's a good actor (honest, I do - and apart from the slapstick stuff.) I feel like he is really good and was just waiting for the right thing to show that off. I hope that this movie is it. It seems very original and different - I like that about it. And it sure does have a lot of great people in the cast.

Anybody got an opinion on this one?

**HTF Ads**

Adam_S · 10-06-2006, 02:48 PM

Reaction at Toronto was through the roof positive. I definitely think it looks terrific.

Abby_B · 10-10-2006, 09:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Adam_S

Reaction at Toronto was through the roof positive. I definitely think it looks terrific.

Really? That's awesome! What did they say, do you know, in Toronto?

I think it looks really funny - but not in that slapstick funny way, it looks funny and smart, if that makes sense? I'm really curious to see how it all plays out. (I fear because it's all about narrative, whether its narrative technique in fiction or the narrative of your life, that I am going to super geek out over it, because there are a lot of layers there, but I will merely say I'm looking forward to it, at present.

)

Abby_B · 11-04-2006, 07:33 PM

Bumping to post this amazing review from Ain't it Cool - all I can say is wow, this sounds even better than I was expecting!

Check it out: http://www.aintitcool.com/node/30512

Chris Dugger · 11-04-2006, 08:46 PM

Saw this a couple of weeks ago...

Although not as commerical as one might think this pic is very, very good...

It is (IMO) Will Ferrell best film to date...

He truly shines as an actor instead of a comedy talent.

Dugger

Brett_B · 11-05-2006, 08:54 AM

I, for one, can't stomach Will Ferrell, but the trailer for this movie has me intrigued.

Chris Dugger · 11-05-2006, 11:14 AM

Totally different role here....

Nothing like he's done before.....

Brett_B · 11-06-2006, 10:53 AM

Quote:

Totally different role here....

Nothing like he's done before.....

That is great to hear, Chris.

I am sure that I will pay to see this one.

Will Ferrell just reminds me too much of Jim Carrey. I will not pay to see any of Carrey's comedies anymore, but am more than willing to throw down the money for his serious roles.

Abby_B · 11-06-2006, 11:42 AM

That's why I'm so psyched for this - I love to see actors stretch themselves, and this looks funny, yes, but in a more adult way than a "typical" Will Ferrell movie, so I think it'll appeal to a broader range of moviegoers. I've been seeing some awards buzz lately for this too - Ferrell's performance must really be good. I hope he gets some respect for it, at last!

I also checked out the official site for the movie - which is really cute - Emma Thompson's voice navigates you around it, like you are in one of her stories yourself. I looooooove the meta-ness of it, the narrative within narrative thing. So awesome.

Patrick Sun · 11-10-2006, 06:10 PM

I wanted to like this film more, but it's dry, like eating cookies without milk. The film moves at a decent pace, but maybe too leisurely. The writing felt less inspired as I had anticipated after seeing the premise from the trailer.

This first foray into drama for Will Farrell is more miss than hit for me. Maggie Gyllenhaal is actually a nice change of pace during her screen time. Dustin Hoffman is okay, Queen Latifah had virtually nothing of import in her scenes, and Emma Thompson is good, but not dazzling in her role as the writer.

It's worth a matinee if you found the premise interesting, but that's about it.

I give it 2.75 stars, or a grade of B-.

Kirk Tsai · 11-18-2006, 12:28 AM

I also liked Maggie Gyllenhaal a lot here compared to the other characters. Thompson doing the narration during Farrell's normal life provides some good laughs, but her as a character was without any interest. The narration over Farrell was obviously the key idea of the movie, and you can feel the wrtiers spending the most time thinking about how to write those lines, and not so much on the others.

Adam Lenhardt · 11-18-2006, 01:07 AM

I thought the movie was great up to and through the sex after the guitar scene. One of the best executed romances I've seen in a while. Unfortunately, once they did the deed, there was no new ground covered.
I didn't like the direction the second half took as much. While the bus scene with the manuscript was great, I thought the ending left something to be desired. The bit with

Spoiler:

went slapstick when I felt the film should be serious. While the point at the end with Karen being alright with the okay ending was intellectually satisfying, I don't feel like it was enough for the movie. I would have had (yes, those very dangerous words...)

Spoiler:

The most dramatically satisfying role for Ferrell since Winter Passing, my favorite Maggie Gyllenhaal role (a more maternal version of the tender roles Zooey Deschanel originated to great success with Ferrell), and my favorite Thompson role in recent memory. There's a lot to like here. I just wish it'd ended on a bang instead of a fizzle.

Chad R · 11-18-2006, 08:44 AM

Yeah, Adam, that could have worked from a storyline standpoint, but it would have messed with the film's larger theme of destiny/fate vs. free will.

Basically, who's to say that events would or would not have enfolded the way they did had Karen finished the book or not? Or more importantly, whereas it appeared Karen was controlling Harold's life, who would/could be controlling Karen's? Did she have free will where Harold was controlled by destiny?

For me, theme was much more important than story in this film, and I loved it.