Netflix Pick of the week (8/7/07)
…it’s a book about a man who doesn’t know he’s about to die. And then dies. But if a man does know he’s about to die and dies anyway. Dies- dies willingly, knowing that he could stop it, then- I mean, isn’t that the type of man who you want to keep alive?
2006’s Stranger Than Fiction has the dubious honor of being the first (and, quite possibly, only) Will Ferrell movie to make me cry. Not that a few tears haven’t leaked out during one of many re-viewings of Anchorman, (60% of the time it works, every time) but that isn’t exactly the same thing. Directed by Marc Forester, (Finding Neverland, Monster’s Ball) the story follows anal-retentive IRS agent Harold Crick, whose methodical life is derailed when he begins hearing the voice of an English woman narrating the events transpiring in his daily life. Despite a misleading marketing campaign that suggested the film was a slightly more highbrow version of Talladega Nights, Stranger Than Fiction is as much a drama as it is a comedy, and one that tackles the big issues- love, death, and of course, writing, with surprising dexterity. Like Jim Carrey in The Truman Show, Will Ferrell gets a chance to prove his acting range doesn’t top out at ‘beer-bonging frat-man’ and turns in a strong performance that resonates, and doesn’t come off as forced. Add that to a strong supporting cast, featuring the fabulous Emma Thompson, Dustin Hoffman, Maggie Gyllenhaal, and Arrested Development’s Tony Hale, lovely cinematography, clever dialogue and a great soundtrack, and you’ve got one of my favorite movies of the last few years. Rent it!
August 8th, 2007 at 1:15 am
I definitely thought the movie was one of Will Ferrell’s best films. A lot of people complained that he was straying too far from his typical roles, but I thought he did a really good job. I loved the scene in the beginning where it had all the overlaid graphics for when he counted the times he brushed his teeth and when he checked files at his job.
August 8th, 2007 at 11:13 am
K, I definitely need to see this movie now. I keep getting so close and then deciding to watch another movie for some reason.