 Movie Review:
Stranger Than Fiction
Production Company: Columbia Pictures
Director: Marc Forster
Cast: Will Ferrell, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Dustin Hoffman, Queen Latifah, Emma Thompson
Rating: PG-13 for some language and brief and nudity.
By Gregg Tubbs
(UMC.org)—Stranger than Fiction is either strangely wonderful or wonderfully strange. It’s a delightfully dry and surreal comedy about a man who literally meets his maker, and in the process, grapples with concepts like the nature of reality, the meaning of his own life and discovering joy and love in the face of imminent mortality. This might all sound a little too heavy for a comedy. But anchored by a hilariously deadpan performance by Will Ferrell, Stranger than Fiction keeps you chuckling, even as it gets you thinking about serious issues. You will be left wondering if you are really living or whether you are just another character in your own life’s story.
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Kay Eiffel (Emma Thompson) is an author plagued by writer’s block. Her dilemma is how to kill off her latest book’s main character. Copyright © 2006 Columbia Pictures
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Harold Crick (Will Ferrell) is good with numbers. They always add up, make perfect sense and yield few surprises. It’s the same with his life. From counting the brush strokes it takes to brush his teeth to knowing exactly how many steps there are to the bus stop, Harold’s life is clean, orderly and perfectly predictable. His affinity for numbers and pleasant, but bland, demeanor make him perfect for his chosen career as an IRS tax auditor. Unmarried and without close friends or family, Harold glides through his life as if he were just a passenger, an observer, rather than a participant in his own life.
Then one day something happens that he could never have predicted and cannot control. He begins to hear a voice. In an amusing touch of fantasy, it’s the voice we’ve heard from the beginning—the film’s narrator. Harold is first baffled, then comically flustered as the voice drolly describes the mundane activities and methodical rhythms of his day. In reality, the voice belongs to Kay Eiffel (Emma Thompson), an author plagued by writer’s block. Her dilemma is how to kill off her latest book’s main character (her literary trademark)—a fellow named Harold Crick.
When the voice in Harold’s head intones, “Little does Harold know that soon he will die,” Harold cries out in anger and confusion: “Die? Why must I die?” Harold’s question is so universal and ancient that from here the film takes a turn from the mildly philosophical to the downright spiritual. It explores issues of fate and free will, mortality and eternity, and delves into many aspects of the relationship between creator and creation.
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When the voice in Harold’s head intones, “Little does Harold know that soon he will die,” Harold (Will Ferrell) cries out in anger and confusion: “Die? Why must I die?” Copyright © 2006 Columbia Pictures
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Harold, now convinced that he is in fact not crazy but rather part of a story, enlists the help of Dr. Jules Hilbert, a college literature professor (Dustin Hoffman). Together they try to discover what type of story he is in—comedy or tragedy—who the author is, and whether Harold has the power to change his fate and forestall his predicted death.
Attempting to wrest control from his creator/author, Harold willfully breaks his routines and in doing so discovers what he has been missing by simply skimming life’s surface. He discovers the beauty of nature and the simple joy of eating a freshly baked cookie. Over time, Harold begins to seem less like a cartoon and more like a person. He also begins to relate in more meaningful ways to the people around him, particularly Ana (Maggie Gyllenhaal), the freethinking baker he’s auditing. He begins to see Ana as a person rather than simply the subject of a ledger sheet. Indifference becomes affection, and affection blossoms into love. Through this process of awakening, we see something akin to the maturing of Harold's soul.
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| Harold (Will Ferrell) begins to see Ana (Maggie Gyllenhaal) as a person rather than simply the subject of a ledger sheet. Indifference becomes affection, and affection blossoms into love. Copyright © 2006 Columbia Pictures |
Harold, like all of us, must eventually meet his maker, and when he does, something remarkable happens—both are changed. Eiffel finds that she loves Harold, much like a mother, and cherishes his life deeply. And Harold comes to better understand his maker and to see a broader plan--even a noble purpose--in his impending death. There is something very Christ-like in Harold’s acceptance of his maker’s plan for him, and we feel truly touched by his willingness to approach his death voluntarily—even as he was beginning to cherish the joys of life.
Yet Stranger Than Fiction still has some surprises in store. It is, after all, a comedy, so there's no need to write Harold off too quickly. By watching Harold struggle, learn and grow, we too can learn a lot about ourselves. With Harold, we are confronted by important questions about the meaning and quality of life. What gives life value? Pleasure? Love? Sacrifice? How do we relate to each other and to our creator? Why must we die? Can death give life more meaning? Are our lives comedies, tragedies or a little of both? Dealing with so many spiritual questions, Stranger Than Fiction is something truly rare—a “divine” comedy.
Gregg Tubbs is a freelance writer living in Columbia, Md.
This review was developed by UMC.org, the official online ministry of The United Methodist Church.
Study Questions
- How would you describe Harold Crick in the beginning of the story? What were his dreams? How did he feel about his life?
- Why do you think he had such rigid routines? Do you think they kept him from living his life fully? Are you living your life more fully than Harold was at the beginning of the film?
- How did Harold change throughout the film? Did he change for the better?
- What spiritual elements did you see in this film? In what ways does this story resemble a parable?
- Was Harold “real” or merely fiction? Did he become more real as the story progressed?
- In what way was Eiffel, the author, god-like? In what ways was she not?
- How did meeting Eiffel change Harold? How does having a personal relationship with your Creator change you?
- Was Harold’s story a comedy or a tragedy? What about your own story?
- Eiffel had a greater purpose for Harold. Was it just? Do you believe God has a purpose for all of us? For you?
- How is Harold Christ-like? How is like every person?
Resources
Official Stranger Than Fiction Web site
Theatrical Trailer
Flash
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