Coral Amber

Stranger than Fiction stars Will Ferrell as Harold Crick, a lonely IRS agent that begins to hear a female voice narrating his life. The voice not only has intimate knowledge of his actions and thoughts but foretells his imminent death. Harold is understandably upset when he hears this and seeks help from a friend, a psychiatrist, and eventually a professor of literature played by Dustin Hoffman.

Harold hopes to find the source of the mystery narrator or, at the very least, the plot of his story before his untimely demise. He begins changing aspects of his life in hopes of thwarting the narration, but throughout the movie even the audience isn't sure if he's in a comedy or a tragedy.

Each character was both quirky and realistic and so well cast that you can't help but like them. Harold seems to be afflicted with minor Obsessive Compulsive Disorder that has him counting everything from his toothbrush strokes to the bathroom tiles. Maggie Gyllenhaal plays an anti-establishment bakery owner getting audited by Crick. Emma Thompson plays the novelist with writer's block trying to think of the perfect death scene, and Queen Latifah plays her assistant calmly pushing the novelist towards her deadline. Marc Foster has done a dream job of directing them all. Will Ferrell shows his strength as an actor, not just a comedic actor. He is real and vulnerable without losing his comic muscle.

I also loved the thoughtful effects that went into the movie. In the opening title sequence Harold's OCD is given some mathematical visual effects that pop up around him as he goes about his daily business and his counting. His wristwatch is even given odd lights and sounds that turn it into a minor character.

The movie was shot entirely in Chicago thanks in part to Zach Helm, the screenplay's writer, going to DePaul University in the 90's. The great thing about the background scenery is that it is textured and nuanced, without the sweeping views of skylines and the Grant Park fountain that have ended up being cliched stock images. The real Chicago is seen through bus windows as they move over bridges. Even the camera angles make you feel like you are moving realistically through the actual city, not just a scenic landscape.

Lastly, the music played in the movie is both subtle and sweet. It's a mix of old and new tunes that blend into the movie's scenes without jarring the audience. Thought and care went into placing the songs so the scenes just felt right, without any extra thought on the part of the audience. In one scene, Harold is strumming an acoustic guitar with his eyes closed, playing the only song he's learned, and once again it feels real and is a perfect pick for the unsure hero.

This movie is a charming gem that had my laughing and crying in equal measure. Not only was it interesting and entertaining, but it toys with the idea of a worthwhile life and death. It has the simple enticing character of movies like Amelie or Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. I feel Stranger than Fiction is the most refreshing movie I've seen in a long time. If this review felt like a love letter to a movie, it was, because that movie is a love letter to anyone who enjoys a fun, thoughtful film.