Stranger Than Fiction: Better than average
WINNIPEG (CUP) -- Stranger Than Fiction is not a typical Will Ferrell vehicle. If you're looking for an over-the-top comedy with Ferrell doing the most ridiculous things possible (singing “Afternoon Delight” in four-part harmony, running around in a diaper, performing avant-garde jazz-flute solos on table-tops in fancy restaurants, etc) then it might be wise to avoid this movie.
In this film, Ferrell experiments with a different style of acting. Much more reserved than usual, he plays an IRS auditor who unexpectedly starts to hear his life being narrated. What's more, only he can hear this narration. This isn't the strongest or most inventive film, but it's definitely enjoyable.
Directed by Marc Forster (Monster's Ball, Finding Neverland), Stranger Than Fiction puts a stylish and unique twist on the conventional comedy.
And it isn't just Ferrell that shines in this movie: practically the entire cast puts forth fun and quirky performances: Emma Thompson plays the reclusive, writer's-blocked author who narrates Ferrell's life; Ferrell's love interest is played by Maggie Gyllenhaal, a baker being audited by the IRS; and Dustin Hoffman is literature professor helping Ferrell understand the narration and where it is leading.
As previously mentioned, most of the cast is excellent in the film, with one exception: Queen Latifah. It's not that her acting was poor; the fault lies in her character: the author's assistant, sent by the publishing company to help her finish the book before her deadline.
The grounded, determined assistant feels out of place in a movie that relies on light fantasy for most of its effect. Queen Latifah's character is there to provide the voice of reason; this makes her dull and as such, harder for the audience to relate to her. The character lacks charm, which is something that all of the other characters have in abundance.
The biggest flaw with Stranger Than Fiction is the overall presentation. It's very stylish and also very subtle, something that, if handled properly, could create an amazing and completely original film.
But Stranger Than Fiction failed to maximize its full potential and the final result looks like Charlie Kaufman lite. The mix of seriousness and comedy worked well, but there were times -- like when subtly trying to tie in all these minor characters for one of the final scenes -- that the film felt awkward and unevenly paced.
Because it clings to conventional comedy, it's unable to reach out, grab onto, and pull itself into original or innovative territory.
In this film, Ferrell experiments with a different style of acting. Much more reserved than usual, he plays an IRS auditor who unexpectedly starts to hear his life being narrated. What's more, only he can hear this narration. This isn't the strongest or most inventive film, but it's definitely enjoyable.
Directed by Marc Forster (Monster's Ball, Finding Neverland), Stranger Than Fiction puts a stylish and unique twist on the conventional comedy.
And it isn't just Ferrell that shines in this movie: practically the entire cast puts forth fun and quirky performances: Emma Thompson plays the reclusive, writer's-blocked author who narrates Ferrell's life; Ferrell's love interest is played by Maggie Gyllenhaal, a baker being audited by the IRS; and Dustin Hoffman is literature professor helping Ferrell understand the narration and where it is leading.
As previously mentioned, most of the cast is excellent in the film, with one exception: Queen Latifah. It's not that her acting was poor; the fault lies in her character: the author's assistant, sent by the publishing company to help her finish the book before her deadline.
The grounded, determined assistant feels out of place in a movie that relies on light fantasy for most of its effect. Queen Latifah's character is there to provide the voice of reason; this makes her dull and as such, harder for the audience to relate to her. The character lacks charm, which is something that all of the other characters have in abundance.
The biggest flaw with Stranger Than Fiction is the overall presentation. It's very stylish and also very subtle, something that, if handled properly, could create an amazing and completely original film.
But Stranger Than Fiction failed to maximize its full potential and the final result looks like Charlie Kaufman lite. The mix of seriousness and comedy worked well, but there were times -- like when subtly trying to tie in all these minor characters for one of the final scenes -- that the film felt awkward and unevenly paced.
Because it clings to conventional comedy, it's unable to reach out, grab onto, and pull itself into original or innovative territory.
