Stranger Than Fiction is Worthy of the Real World's Attention

In a world that can be such a structured place, Harold Crick (Will Ferrel), has everything calculated to the point of obsession in Marc Forster's Stranger Than Fiction (2006). As an IRS agent whose every life-detail has become frighteningly precise, something is about to give for Harold, who is bored with his monotonous life. It happens by means of his wristwatch, which has "thoughts and feelings." The watch shuts off until Harold resets it, accidentally at three minutes off from the real time, which thickens the plot until the movie's end.

The narrator, Kay Eiffel (Emma Thompson), shows up as a voice in Crick's head that relays to him the brush strokes he uses to brush his teeth in the morning. This is enough to make anyone wonder what is going on, and after searching for one to listen, Harold comes across Professor Jules Hilbert, (Dustin Hoffman) a confused English Literature professor, who among owning other credentials, is the faculty lifeguard at the pool.

Eiffel insists on finding odd ways to overcome writer's block, as she does not know how to finish her novel, Death and Taxes, in which Crick is the main character, who she created as sheer fiction. The office assistant hired to work with her, Penny Escher, (Queen Latifah) shows great patience as Eiffel tries reenacting potential death scenarios like jumping off a building. We know an interesting ride is in store for the audience when Kay asks Penny "Don't you ever wish you could jump off of a building?" Eiffel imagines swerving off a bridge into a river by actually sitting in the pouring rain by a bridge. They even go to a hospital, where Eiffel asks a nurse, "Where are the dying people?" The chemistry between these two characters flows between Eiffel's stubborn detachment from reality and Escher's kind, yet straightforward advice.

Zach Helm, screenwriter for the first time, knows exactly what he is doing as he delves into the human psyche by examining different types of relationships. The one I place the most emphasis on is between Crick and the "anarchist baker," Ana Pascal, (Maggie Gyllenhaal.) The Harvard Law School dropout, who had a D average because she was obsessed with baking treats for study sessions, makes a scene in her bakery, and tells the taxman to 'get bent.' This reminded me of the age-old plot of hate blossoming into love as the story progresses - not to mention the guy getting the girl by playing the guitar - another classic theme.

The crowning moment of the film is when Eiffel and Crick meet in person and learn of each other's existence. When Harold learns he is going to die, Eiffel is consumed with guilt as she realizes her past book characters probably met the same demise, since her trademark was killing off the heroes. This moment makes the audience realize that everyday is precious as we watch Harold's last-minute decisions. How could this happen to him while he is happily in love with Ana?

The ending is suspenseful and leaves everything to the imagination. Some will like it, others will not. Once you watch it, you'll understand why.

If you liked Tim Burton's Big Fish, or Charlie Kaufman's Being John Malkovich, you will love Stranger Than Fiction. Bizarre events and unique characters almost always come together as a movie that makes us remember things about our own lives. The cohesive cast and effective humor that avoids being laugh-out-loud funny in a good way, fits the unique story as well as any wristwatch could possibly calculate. The film is by far one of my favorite movies of the year.