Stranger Than Fiction: Seriously, a Serious Comedy

An IRS auditor who counts the strokes while brushing his teeth, suddenly, one day, finds his movements and actions being narrated at sporadic and random intervals. And the narration is always accurate to what he has just done. Stranger than Fiction.

It seems that this serious comedy, Stranger than Fiction, is part of an on-going dialog with other movies and one book. Jim Carey, in The Truman Show, finds his life narrated and orchestrated by a branch of the visual media, that branch being television. Dr. Peter D. Kramer wrote Against Depression in which he presents clear scientific evidence that depression is a disease with an identifiable pathology of brain cells and calls for a new definition of art, beauty and love. Nell Harper Lee, in Infamous, says that an author dies a little every time a book is written and that the next one is harder to start because one knows what is required.

Stranger than Fiction narrates Harold Crick's life through literary fiction and explores the idea of new definitions being needed for literature, life and love. And Ms. Lee's hypothesis is actualized in the literary life of Kay Eiffel, played by Emma Thompson, in Stranger than Fiction.

Finding that his actions are narrated, Harold Crick seeks advice from experts and hits upon one or two strategies to uncover the reason behind the narrative. While following these plans, he meets a baker who is decidedly hostile toward military taxes and IRS representatives. Part of the tension that unfolds in Stranger than Fiction is the quest to find out if he is being narrated through a comedy or a tragedy.

This comedic fantasy, with sets dressed perfectly for a tragi-comedy (Kevin Thompson), is acted with such seriousness that the humor in Stranger than Fiction comes by way of humor in real life, despite the participants. It is a brilliant touch that the humor happens as a result of living and being in earnest, as each of the actors undertakes a serious acting approach. This approach is reminiscent of the combination of serious acting and comedy seen in Click (Adam Sandler), and is in contrast with the pure comedic approach taken in Shaggy Dog (Tim Allen).

Forget whatever negative impressions you may have of Will Farrell because of Bewitched or Talladega Nights. Stranger than Fiction shows that Mr. Farrell is a master of subtle as he plays the essence of dumbfounded innocence in the person of Harold Crick. Mr. Farrell is impeccable as this quiet, retiring math and tax expert who works for the Federal government.

For that matter, all of the principals in Stranger than Fiction give impeccable performances, including Maggie Gyllenhaal, who generally tends to play herself in varying moods and differing situations, doing so quite convincingly, gives a memorable performance. Emma Thompson is brilliant as Kay Eiffle, a character very unlike any of her more recent roles. I'll be surprised if she does not get another Academy Award nomination.

Dustin Hoffman is marvelous as Professor Jules Hilbert, funny in spite of his pompous superiority as he becomes intellectually engrossed in this living-narrative he is being questioned about. Queen Latifa as Penny Escher, a writer's assistant, is a happy surprise that builds upon her success as Georgia Byrd in Last Holiday. She hit absolutely the right note and tone and adds significantly to the overall authenticity of this tragi-comedy, Stranger than Fiction.

In the end, answers to some worthwhile questions are proffered in Stranger than Fiction; and all along the way, we feel like the story we're viewing is an authentic one, not something trumped up for a moral lesson. Are there any flaws in Stranger than Fiction? No, not one. Stranger than Fiction is a brilliant antithesis to existentialism and is rated 5 Stars.