Critic Reviews
Stranger Than Fiction (2006) Rank 5 Reviews
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Sun Newspapers of Cleveland
Will Ferrell dramatically ratchets it down for "Stranger Than Fiction" as Harold Crick, a devoted but solitary IRS agent. One morning, his by-the-book routine is interrupted by a woman's voice, a narrator only he hears. Annoying and disruptive, sure, but ...read the complete Stranger Than Fiction movie review at Sun Newspapers of Cleveland
ViewLondon (Matthew Turner)
Essentially, this is Will Ferrell's Truman Show, both in terms of thematic content (a man breaking free of his controlled existence) and in the sense that it's not a typical Will Ferrell movie, but rather a proper acting role that could well net him an ...read the complete Stranger Than Fiction movie review at ViewLondon (Matthew Turner)
FilmJudge
Harold Crick (Ferrell) is a lonely IRS agent who suddenly begins to hear a voice narrating his life. That voice belongs to frustrated author Kay Eiffel (Thompson), who much to Harold's dismay decides she is going to kill off her (supposedly) fictional ...read the complete Stranger Than Fiction movie review at FilmJudge
Christian Spotlight on the Movies
Harold Crick (Will Ferrell) is a man who lives by his wristwatch. In the finite world he has created for himself, his life is separated into well ordered increments of timeslots and activities. He brushes his thirty-six teeth the same number of strokes ...read the complete Stranger Than Fiction movie review at Christian Spotlight on the Movies
Joe Critic.com (Sam Bear)
"Stranger Than Fiction" is the story of Harold Crick, a lonely IRS agent, and Karen Eiffel, the author who just so happens to be writing the prophetic story of his life. When Harold starts hearing a voice narrating his life, he's spooked, but when the ...read the complete Stranger Than Fiction movie review at Joe Critic.com (Sam Bear)
The Dallas Morning News
Admit it. At some point or another, you've wondered if your life is just another plot strand on a Simpsons episode. Or a scene from your very own Truman Show. Someone else is pulling the strings. You're not the author of your own narrative. ...read the complete Stranger Than Fiction movie review at The Dallas Morning News
Beaumont Journal (Danny Minton)
Ferrell doesn't give his typical over-the-top performance here, but rather creates a terrific, understated character that produces a huge amount of empathy and likeability. ...read the complete Stranger Than Fiction movie review at Beaumont Journal (Danny Minton)
EmanuelLevy.com (Emanuel Levy)
Forster's original serio-comedy, in the vein of Kaufman- Jonze meta-narrative cinema, is an existential yet heartfelt film about creators and their characters, life and death, and even taxes, inviting the audience to participate in the filmmaking itself ...read the complete Stranger Than Fiction movie review at EmanuelLevy.com (Emanuel Levy)
Flick Filosopher (MaryAnn Johanson)
You're thinking Stranger Than Fiction is gonna be one of those mind-benders like Adaptation or Being John Malkovich, but you'd be wrong. This ain't no Charlie Kaufman head trip, one that leaves you dizzy in the brain and feeling like you've ...read the complete Stranger Than Fiction movie review at Flick Filosopher (MaryAnn Johanson)
eFilmCritic.com (David Cornelius)
<sdo230@gmail.com>
In Stranger than Fiction, reality and the imaginings of a novelist are bridged by, of all things, a British narration; to be precise, the narration of Emma Thompson. She plays Karen Eiffel, a reclusive novelist struggling with an especially thick bout of ...read the complete Stranger Than Fiction movie review at <sdo230@gmail.com>
Cinema Signals (Jules Brenner)
A fresh and original fantasy love story entertainment that will arouse all the literary DNA we possess. ...read the complete Stranger Than Fiction movie review at Cinema Signals (Jules Brenner)
Foote on Film (John H. Foote)
Considering I see an average of two hundred and seventy five films a year, my friends tell me it is a miracle that after seeing so many bad films I am still obsessed with the movies. I walk in to every film believing it might be the best thing I have ...read the complete Stranger Than Fiction movie review at Foote on Film (John H. Foote)
Atlanta Journal-Constitution (Hap Erstein)
Stranger Than Fiction is the most original comedy of the year, a mind-bending tale with one foot in the real world and the other in pure fiction. ...read the complete Stranger Than Fiction movie review at Atlanta Journal-Constitution (Hap Erstein)
The New York Times (A.O. Scott)
“Stranger Than Fiction” gives Will Ferrell the kind of opportunity that movie and television clowns seem to cherish, which is to impress audiences with their restraint. Robin Williams does it every now and then, as does Jim Carrey — Bill Murray ...read the complete Stranger Than Fiction movie review at The New York Times (A.O. Scott)
The Land of Eric (Eric D. Snider)
Many things stand out about "Stranger Than Fiction," so I'll first mention one that may not be as readily apparent as the others: Every character in the movie is smart. This is a rare treat in 2006, when the jackassification of American cinema is ...read the complete Stranger Than Fiction movie review at The Land of Eric (Eric D. Snider)
Baltimore Sun (Michael Sragow)
In a feat of performing imagination, Ferrell turns his usual extroversion inside out and his usual zaniness into precision, and makes it all work for him. ...read the complete Stranger Than Fiction movie review at Baltimore Sun (Michael Sragow)
Shadows on the Wall (Rich Cline)
A sharply clever script, witty direction and terrific performances across the board. ...read the complete Stranger Than Fiction movie review at Shadows on the Wall (Rich Cline)
ReelViews (James Berardinelli)
It takes a great premise and runs with it, neither wasting opportunities nor going off on tangents. It features strong work from both the main and supporting actors, and manages seamlessly to incorporate both humor and poignancy. ...read the complete Stranger Than Fiction movie review at ReelViews (James Berardinelli)
Philadelphia Inquirer (Steven Rea)
Stranger Than Fiction is slicker than Kaufman's work - and Forster's direction is certainly more studio-ish than Kaufman collaborators Spike Jonze's or Michel Gondry's. But it's a clever idea, and you feel a little smarter watching the thing unfurl. ...read the complete Stranger Than Fiction movie review at Philadelphia Inquirer (Steven Rea)
Chicago Sun-Times (Roger Ebert)
What a thoughtful film this is, and how thought-stirring. Marc Forster's Stranger Than Fiction comes advertised as a romance, a comedy, a fantasy, and it is a little of all three, but it's really a fable, a "moral ...read the complete Stranger Than Fiction movie review at Chicago Sun-Times (Roger Ebert)
Movieman's Guide to the Movies (Brian Oliver)
IRS agent Harold Crick (Ferrell) one day begins to hear a voice that no one else can hear. This voice narrates his daily activities from counting the number of brush strokes when brushing his teeth or counting the number of steps from his apartment to ...read the complete Stranger Than Fiction movie review at Movieman's Guide to the Movies (Brian Oliver)
Gorilla Pants (Melissa Prusi)
Stranger than Fiction is the story of Harold Crick. Harold is an IRS auditor, a man of precise habits and little imagination. As it turns out, he is also the main character in a novel by acclaimed writer Karen Eiffel. One morning Harold starts to hear ...read the complete Stranger Than Fiction movie review at Gorilla Pants (Melissa Prusi)
Pop Entertainment.com
Who would have thought? Will Ferrell can actually act. Really, seriously do dramatic scenes, create a complex character, not get blown out on an even playing field with real live thespians Dustin Hoffman, Emma Thompson and Maggie Gyllenhaal. Credit ...read the complete Stranger Than Fiction movie review at Pop Entertainment.com
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
IRS auditor Harold Crick is a man of few words and many numbers. Very precise numbers. He does four-digit multiplication and sees balanced geometric grids in his head. He also hears voices in his head. A very precise woman's voice, doing play-by-play ...read the complete Stranger Than Fiction movie review at Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Reel.com
When Henry David Thoreau coined the line, "The mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation," he could have been anticipating the 21st century existence of Chicago IRS auditor Harold Crick (Will Ferrell). But all of that is about to change in a most ...read the complete Stranger Than Fiction movie review at Reel.com
Entertainment Insiders (Jonathan W. Hickman)
Stranger Than Fiction, filmmaker Marc Forster’s latest movie, features an eclectic story with an even more eclectic cast. Where else can you see Will Farrell romance Maggie Gyllenhaal while getting advice from Dustin Hoffman who admires Emma Thompson ...read the complete Stranger Than Fiction movie review at Entertainment Insiders (Jonathan W. Hickman)
Jam! Movies
The dull routine of an IRS investigator is disrupted when he hears the voice of a neurotic novelist in his head. He slowly realizes he is a character in her new book. And he may be doomed. ...read the complete Stranger Than Fiction movie review at Jam! Movies
Bullz-Eye.com
Let’s be perfectly clear right up front: this is not your older brother’s Will Ferrell movie. “Stranger than Fiction” doesn’t contain a single pratfall or butt shot (well, actually it does, but it’s not Ferrell’s), and is more ...read the complete Stranger Than Fiction movie review at Bullz-Eye.com
The Cinema Source (Stephen Snart)
Laughter is infectious and as French theorist Henri Bergson put forth, laughter must have a social significance. For this reason, it’s often more satisfying to watch a comedy with a large group of people, especially if it’s something irreverent with ...read the complete Stranger Than Fiction movie review at The Cinema Source (Stephen Snart)
Tiscali UK
Having established his reputation as a big, manic goofball, Will Ferrell follows the tradition of so many comics in wanting to be taken more seriously. Jim Carrey is a prime example of how to derail a successful career by trying to make the transition. ...read the complete Stranger Than Fiction movie review at Tiscali UK
Window to the Movies (Jeffrey Chen)
Stranger Than Fiction carries a premise I found so amusing that I wish I'd thought of it first. It's another one of those meta-movie deals, wherein the character finds out he's in someone's story, and the story dynamics get shifted and bumped around ...read the complete Stranger Than Fiction movie review at Window to the Movies (Jeffrey Chen)
Frank's Reel Reviews
"This is the story of Harold Crick..." So begins what may well be a career altering move for the notorious Will Ferrell. At least we all can hope. Stranger than Fiction is the story of an IRS agent who suddenly begins to hear the voice of a woman he ...read the complete Stranger Than Fiction movie review at Frank's Reel Reviews
The Arizona Republic
That's one of the finest parts of the movie; writer Zach Helm never tries to rationalize why his nebbish main character, IRS auditor Harold Crick (Will Ferrell), is having his life narrated by unseen author Kay Eiffel (Emma Thompson). ...read the complete Stranger Than Fiction movie review at The Arizona Republic
Qwipster's Movie Reviews (Vince Leo)
Will Ferrell (Talladega Nights, Winter Passing) stars as Harold Crick, a mild-mannered IRS auditor who suffers from some sort of obsessive-compulsive disorder that sees him doing things like counting strokes he makes on his toothbrush as well as the ...read the complete Stranger Than Fiction movie review at Qwipster's Movie Reviews (Vince Leo)
ShowBIZ Data
Will Ferrell, who is loved by movie audiences more than he is admired by film critics, is gaining in the writers' estimation faster than a race car at Talladega, thanks to his performance in Marc Forster's Stranger Than Fiction. Roger Ebert in the ...read the complete Stranger Than Fiction movie review at ShowBIZ Data
culturevulture.net, Choices for the Cognoscenti
As if from a comic parallel universe, it is not Josef K who wakes up one day to find himself transformed into a cockroach, but Harold Crick (Will Ferrell), an IRS agent obsessed with numbers, who wakes up one morning to find he is a fictional character ...read the complete Stranger Than Fiction movie review at culturevulture.net, Choices for the Cognoscenti
Kalamazoo Gazette (James Sanford)
its brand of dry humor may catch Ferrell fans off-guard... much closer to Jim Carrey's 'The Truman Show' or Nicolas Cage and Meryl Streep's 'Adaptation' than it is to the usual Ferrell fare. ...read the complete Stranger Than Fiction movie review at Kalamazoo Gazette (James Sanford)
The Movie Insider (Phil Calabro)
After Talladega Nights, I was worried whether Will Ferrell’s audience appeal would continue to wane. But then a project came his way, which allowed the comedian to reconfigure his shtick, develop a new character, and find new ground in the drama ...read the complete Stranger Than Fiction movie review at The Movie Insider (Phil Calabro)
St. Paul Pioneer Press (Chris Hewitt)
eye WEEKLY
Though Marc Forster’s meta-fictional dramedy opens like a mainstream descendant of Adaptation, it ends up becoming arguably more satisfying and affecting. The drab existence of IRS agent Harold (Will Ferrell) is upended when the voice of Kay Eiffel ...read the complete Stranger Than Fiction movie review at eye WEEKLY
Variety (Todd McCarthy)
It remains inventive and funny to the end, features fine performances from Will Ferrell and especially Emma Thompson, and offers enough to enjoy and dispute to make it a good B.O. attraction. ...read the complete Stranger Than Fiction movie review at Variety (Todd McCarthy)
FirstShowing.net (Josh Green)
Stranger Than Fiction is one of the most cleverly written stories of the year. It is original, self-reflective, funny, and depressing at the same time. By being self-reflective, the movie is able to critique itself because of its story within a story ...read the complete Stranger Than Fiction movie review at FirstShowing.net (Josh Green)
St. Paul Pioneer Press (Chris Hewitt (St. Paul))
Stranger Than Fiction is a movie that brims over with characters who are too complicated, prickly and interesting to fit within the boundaries of a conventional film. ...read the complete Stranger Than Fiction movie review at St. Paul Pioneer Press (Chris Hewitt (St. Paul))
Empire Magazine [UK]
It might be Charlie Kaufman lite, but this is a great date movie for the discerning — smart, ingenious and ...read the complete Stranger Than Fiction movie review at Empire Magazine [UK]
Portland Oregonian (M. E. Russell)
Maybe the best thing about Stranger Than Fiction is the way it extracts unexpected work from underrated actors. ...read the complete Stranger Than Fiction movie review at Portland Oregonian (M. E. Russell)
filmcritic.com (Chris Cabin)
For all the talk of Stranger Than Fiction's clever Kaufmanisms, the most honest and sincere part of the film is about as clever as fireworks on the 4th of July. Harold Crick (Will Ferrell) sits at a small table in a local bakery and is coaxed into ...read the complete Stranger Than Fiction movie review at filmcritic.com (Chris Cabin)
Plugged In
IRS auditor Harold Crick lives an orderly life. He counts the number of times he brushes each of his 32 teeth. The number of steps to the bus stop. And the seconds in his coffee break. (Let's just say that Mr. Monk would love this guy.) All that begins ...read the complete Stranger Than Fiction movie review at Plugged In
Film Threat, Hollywood's Indie Voice
After the trifecta of suck comprised of "Bewitched," "Kicking and Screaming," and "Talladega Nights," I was more or less ready to write off Will Ferrell. Overexposure and an overabundance of his trademark shtick had worn me down to the point that ...read the complete Stranger Than Fiction movie review at Film Threat, Hollywood's Indie Voice
Comingsoon.net
"It's not the best piece of English literature of the last ten years," Professor Jules Hilbert (Dustin Hoffman) says of Kay Eiffel's (Emma Thompson) newest novel, "but it's not ...read the complete Stranger Than Fiction movie review at Comingsoon.net
Homer Yen
But the neatest gimmick is the narrative soundtrack that helps us to understand and appreciate Harold's evolving life. The story of Harold is actually a book-in-the-works by accomplished author Kay Eiffel (the dulcet-voiced Emma Thompson). Each page ...read the complete Stranger Than Fiction movie review at Homer Yen
Wolf Entertainment Guide (William Wolf)
A major film at the 2006 Toronto International Film Festival, “Stranger than Fiction” creates of a very strange relationship, that between an author and one of her characters. Pirandello wrote about six characters in search of an author. “Stranger ...read the complete Stranger Than Fiction movie review at Wolf Entertainment Guide (William Wolf)
KSL Radio (Doug & Steve)
One morning, a seemingly average and generally solitary IRS agent named Harold Crick begins to hear a female voice narrating his every action, thought and feeling in alarmingly precise detail. Harold’s carefully controlled life is turned upside down by ...read the complete Stranger Than Fiction movie review at KSL Radio (Doug & Steve)
U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops
Pondering God's infinite knowledge, the psalmist writes in Psalm 139, "Your eyes foresaw my actions; in your book all are written," a verse that seems particularly apropos when watching the delightfully quirky dramatic comedy "Stranger Than Fiction" ...read the complete Stranger Than Fiction movie review at U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops
Future Movies (Chris Evans)
Will Ferrell playing a bland tax man who’s every move is narrated by the irritating drones of Emma Thompson may not sound like an enticing prospect, but strangely this film has a lot to offer and its scriptwriter Zach Helm is the hot new kid on the ...read the complete Stranger Than Fiction movie review at Future Movies (Chris Evans)
Reel Film Reviews (David Nusair)
With its admittedly out-there premise, Stranger than Fiction can't help but periodically feel like a Charlie Kaufman movie - albeit a Charlie Kaufman movie with actual characters and a storyline worth following. Will Ferrell stars as Harold Crick, a ...read the complete Stranger Than Fiction movie review at Reel Film Reviews (David Nusair)
London Daily Mirror (David Edwards)
IN the space of a couple of years, Will Ferrell has gone from white-hot comedian to perhaps the unfunniest man on Earth. After Elf and Anchorman, he decided to appear in laugh-free zones such as Bewitched, Kicking & Screaming and Talladega Nights. They ...read the complete Stranger Than Fiction movie review at London Daily Mirror (David Edwards)
TotalFilm
Get up. Go to work. Have another beer. All of us have an interior narrator, exhorting, encouraging, chastising. The difference with Yank Harold Crick (Ferrell) is that his is female, and English, “with a better vocabulary.” It’s an irresistible, if ...read the complete Stranger Than Fiction movie review at TotalFilm
Media-Assault.com (Sean Caszatt)
Harold Crick (Will Ferrell) has a problem. He's hearing a voice in his head that seems to be narrating his actions. As he goes about his daily activities as an I.R.S. auditor, the voice explains what he's done to an unseen audience. The voice belongs ...read the complete Stranger Than Fiction movie review at Media-Assault.com (Sean Caszatt)
The Movie Chicks
Will Ferrell tones down some of his antics to become this bewildered man who deals in exacts and the precise, who is suddenly faced with something fantastic and totally outside his realm of belief. He’s lost and confused and that works for Will. Dustin ...read the complete Stranger Than Fiction movie review at The Movie Chicks
Empire Movies (Liam Cullin)
"Stranger Than Fiction" stars Will Ferrell as IRS auditor Harold Crick. One day, as Harold is standing there brushing his teeth, he hears a voice. The voice belongs to novelist Kay Eiffel (Emma Thompson), a writer who specializes in killing off her ...read the complete Stranger Than Fiction movie review at Empire Movies (Liam Cullin)
stylusmagazine.com (Amanda Andrade)
marketing Stranger than Fiction was probably pretty easy—there’s the cast for one thing (Merchant-Ivory Oscar-winner Emma Thompson meets Talledega Nights star Will Ferrell, not to mention Queen Latifah, Dustin Hoffman, and Maggie Gyllenhaal). ...read the complete Stranger Than Fiction movie review at stylusmagazine.com (Amanda Andrade)
tonymedley.com (Tony Medley)
Will Ferrell and Emma Thompson give brilliant performances in this metaphysical, Kafkaesque dilemma...far too deep to be viewed as a frivolous comedy. ...read the complete Stranger Than Fiction movie review at tonymedley.com (Tony Medley)
Empire (Ian Freer)
It might be Charlie Kaufman lite, but this is a great date movie for the discerning -- smart, ingenious and heartwarming. ...read the complete Stranger Than Fiction movie review at Empire (Ian Freer)
Pop Syndicate (Stefan Halley)
A surprisingly moving, funny, and thoughtful dissection of storytelling ...read the complete Stranger Than Fiction movie review at Pop Syndicate (Stefan Halley)
MovieMaze.de (Daniel Licha)
Killer Movie Reviews (Andrea Chase)
In STRANGER THAN FICTION, Will Ferrell bravely sets aside the manic side of his personna in favor of that personna’s innate sweetness. It’s a bold move and one that is not without charm, but it’s also one that should have been better served than it ...read the complete Stranger Than Fiction movie review at Killer Movie Reviews (Andrea Chase)
The Seattle Times (Moira Macdonald)
Harold Crick (Will Ferrell) is an IRS agent whose favorite word is "integer" and whose apartment is as bare and lifeless as a hotel room. His life is a model of buttoned-down sameness, until one day he hears a voice in his head. It's female, ...read the complete Stranger Than Fiction movie review at The Seattle Times (Moira Macdonald)
Homer Yen
"Stranger than Fiction" is a trippy little film
that tells the engaging story of Harold Crick
(Will Farrell), a non-impact kind of guy who
worked happily as a tax auditor for the IRS but
led a life that was devoid of true meaning. His
entire ...read the complete Stranger Than Fiction movie review at Homer Yen
Video Reviews with Joan Ellis
“Stranger Than Fiction” sends you out with a smile. It uses a whole series of small details to build to a big, warm, appealing whole. A surefire script by Zach Helm cried out for, and was given, a cast that understood the characters. When you put ...read the complete Stranger Than Fiction movie review at Video Reviews with Joan Ellis
Laramie Movie Scope (Robert Roten)
“Stranger Than Fiction” is an inventive comedy combined with a very moving romance. It is way smarter than the usual comedy and the romance is more powerful than what you would expect from a romantic comedy. This film tackles the old question of ...read the complete Stranger Than Fiction movie review at Laramie Movie Scope (Robert Roten)
National Public Radio (Bob Mondello)
The premise of the new movie Stranger Than Fiction sounds perfect for comedian Will Farrell. He plays a man who discovers that he's a character in a novel, and that his every action is controlled by the novel's author. ...read the complete Stranger Than Fiction movie review at National Public Radio (Bob Mondello)
Georgia Straight (Beth Mcarthur)
Directed by Marc Forster. Starring Will Ferrell, Emma Thompson, Dustin Hoffman, and Maggie Gyllenhaal. Rated general. Opens Friday, November 10, at the Cinemark ...read the complete Stranger Than Fiction movie review at Georgia Straight (Beth Mcarthur)
Hollywood Report Card (Ross Anthony)
Some people are genuine, some are characters, and perhaps, the lucky few are main characters. In this film, Will Ferrell finds himself in a very different role, he's not the funnyman, not the buffoon, he's simply the main character who's being ...read the complete Stranger Than Fiction movie review at Hollywood Report Card (Ross Anthony)
Three Movie Buffs (Scott Nash)
Stranger than Fiction is a quirky little movie that isn't perhaps, quite as strange as it would like to be. It's also, thanks to some clever editing in the trailer, not as funny as it's pretending to be. Despite all that, it's still an enjoyable ...read the complete Stranger Than Fiction movie review at Three Movie Buffs (Scott Nash)
L.A. Daily News
Solitary IRS agent Harold Crick (Will Ferrell) lives in an apartment as anonymous as a motel room. There he eats dinner alone, always brushes his teeth with precisely the same number of strokes and always goes to bed exactly at 11:13 p.m. It's a routine ...read the complete Stranger Than Fiction movie review at L.A. Daily News
sdo230@gmail.com
In Stranger than Fiction, reality and the imaginings of a novelist are
bridged by, of all things, a British narration; to be precise, the
narration of Emma Thompson. She plays Karen Eiffel, a reclusive
novelist struggling with an especially thick bout ...read the complete Stranger Than Fiction movie review at sdo230@gmail.com
Voir.ca
Percepteur d'impôts sans envergure, Harold Crick (Will Ferrell, attachant, drôle et touchant) découvre un jour, grâce à un professeur de littérature (Dustin Hoffman, délicieusement loufoque), que la voix féminine qui narre ses moindres faits et ...read the complete Stranger Than Fiction movie review at Voir.ca
Exclaim!
Original scripts are so few and far between in Hollywood that once one makes it to the big screen and is executed to near-perfection, it hits like a ton of bricks. Stranger Than Fiction succeeds on every level — from deadpan comedy to tragic drama and ...read the complete Stranger Than Fiction movie review at Exclaim!
CBC.ca Arts (Katrina Onstad)
Will Ferrell has finally made a movie in which he doesn’t remove his shirt and run through the streets in tighty whities. In Hollywood, this is progress. With Stranger Than Fiction, Ferrell has found a film that doesn’t depend on his extraordinary ...read the complete Stranger Than Fiction movie review at CBC.ca Arts (Katrina Onstad)
Film Blather (Eugene Novikov)
Stranger Than Fiction might have coasted on, or alternatively squandered, its gut-bustingly hilarious high concept. It does neither. Instead of enveloping itself in smug self-satisfaction and marveling at its own cleverness, it simply tells two great ...read the complete Stranger Than Fiction movie review at Film Blather (Eugene Novikov)
Movies 101 (Robert Glatzer)
I admire Will Ferrell for venturing as an actor into areas that go far beyond "Elf" and "Talladega Nights." He's brave to try and play a straight role, but when he chooses to enter a fantasy like "Stranger Than Fiction," in what you might call the ...read the complete Stranger Than Fiction movie review at Movies 101 (Robert Glatzer)
Combustible Celluloid (Jeffrey M. Anderson)
In the wonderful romantic comedy Stranger Than Fiction, Chicago IRS auditor Harold Crick (Will Ferrell) has suddenly found himself the main character in a novel, which is perhaps an odd subject for a movie. But here the juxtaposition of picture and sound ...read the complete Stranger Than Fiction movie review at Combustible Celluloid (Jeffrey M. Anderson)
DVD Talk (Eric D. Snider)
Many things stand out about "Stranger Than Fiction," so I'll first mention one that may not be as readily apparent as the others: Every character in the movie is smart. This is a rare treat in 2006, when the jackassification of American cinema is ...read the complete Stranger Than Fiction movie review at DVD Talk (Eric D. Snider)
New York Daily News (Jack Mathews)
So, you're drifting through life, not quite sure where you've been or where you're going, when you realize that you are a character in an unfinished novel and that the author is literally plotting to kill you.
That's the situation facing Will ...read the complete Stranger Than Fiction movie review at New York Daily News (Jack Mathews)
In Review (Adam Suraf)
Harold Crick, whether you like “Stranger Than Fiction” or not, or the atypical performance Will Ferrell gives as the character, you’ve got to love that name, not only because it sounds so, shall we say, made up, but because in a movie as ...read the complete Stranger Than Fiction movie review at In Review (Adam Suraf)
Flipside Movie Emporium (Rob Vaux)
The charm and whimsy on display in Stranger Than Fiction should not be lightly dismissed, for they succeed where many of its loftier elements fail. Posited as an existential comedy -- pitting an author against her ostensibly fictitious character -- it ...read the complete Stranger Than Fiction movie review at Flipside Movie Emporium (Rob Vaux)
ReelTalk (Betty Jo Tucker)
Filled with witty dialogue and intriguing characters, Stranger than Fiction presents a creative story that not only entertains us but makes us think about our own mortality and what’s important in life. ...read the complete Stranger Than Fiction movie review at ReelTalk (Betty Jo Tucker)
Rolling Stone (Peter Travers)
This is a Ferrell you've never seen before, nailing a role that calls for breakneck humor in the final race against the clock and touching gravity in the love scenes with Gyllenhaal. ...read the complete Stranger Than Fiction movie review at Rolling Stone (Peter Travers)
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
What's with all these stories about stories? Even if you can't tell the difference between post-modernism and a postage meter, you may have noticed that something odd has happened to film comedies in the past decade. Many of the most acclaimed ...read the complete Stranger Than Fiction movie review at St. Louis Post-Dispatch
San Francisco Chronicle (Mick LaSalle)
The thing to delight in about "Stranger Than Fiction" is its can't-miss premise: A man hears a voice narrating his every action and comes to realize that he's a character in some unseen author's novel. But the thing to admire about it is its ...read the complete Stranger Than Fiction movie review at San Francisco Chronicle (Mick LaSalle)
The Globe and Mail (Toronto) (Rick Groen)
With a track record that stretches from "Monster's Ball" all the way to "Finding Neverland," Forster is clearly a director at ease with a wide range of material. He's found confection-land here, setting his beater on ready-whip and mixing the dough just ...read the complete Stranger Than Fiction movie review at The Globe and Mail (Toronto) (Rick Groen)
Sean the Movie Guy (Sean McBride)
Will Ferrell in a reserved, highbrow comedy? Now that is Stranger Than Fiction. ...read the complete Stranger Than Fiction movie review at Sean the Movie Guy (Sean McBride)
Orlando Weekly (Cole Haddon)
This is a story about a screenwriter named Zach Helm and his laptop. This screenwriter was a man of infinite strangeness, endless oddities and a remarkable number of words. His laptop had an even bigger vocabulary, thanks to its exceptional thesaurus. ...read the complete Stranger Than Fiction movie review at Orlando Weekly (Cole Haddon)
USA Today (Claudia Puig)
Intricately plotted without being contrived and exhilarating in its eccentricity. ...read the complete Stranger Than Fiction movie review at USA Today (Claudia Puig)
Miami Herald (Connie Ogle)
Stranger Than Fiction may not be the typical crowd-pleaser, but it's a sweet, funny, intelligent film that showcases just how much Ferrell can do, even when he's doing less. ...read the complete Stranger Than Fiction movie review at Miami Herald (Connie Ogle)
Chicago Tribune (Michael Phillips)
The deader the deadpan the better. When Ferrell and Hoffman do their thing together, a charming bit of whimsy becomes something more. It becomes really, really funny. ...read the complete Stranger Than Fiction movie review at Chicago Tribune (Michael Phillips)
Time Out
Harold Crick (Ferrell) is an unassuming taxman with a problem: he’s got his own narrator, a voice in his head (Emma Thomson’s, in fact) that provides a running commentary on his actions, feelings and circumstances – including things he’d rather ...read the complete Stranger Than Fiction movie review at Time Out
TV Guide (Maitland McDonagh)
Foster finds the common ground on which his eclectic cast can meet (no small feat when they range from brassy Queen Latifah to "Arrested Development"'s deadpan Tony Hale) and keeps the story's sweetness from devolving into saccharine kitsch. ...read the complete Stranger Than Fiction movie review at TV Guide (Maitland McDonagh)
Cinema Blend
This is a movie about Harold Crick. Harold is good at many things. He excels at his job. He's a whiz with numbers. He's not very good at life. This is a movie about Harold Crick getting better at life by facing death, a conceit used almost to the ...read the complete Stranger Than Fiction movie review at Cinema Blend
Pittsburgh Tribune-Review (Ed Blank)
Maybe you've played a private mind game while driving alone or taking your constitutional. ...read the complete Stranger Than Fiction movie review at Pittsburgh Tribune-Review (Ed Blank)
Médiafilm
Dans le beau et touchant FINDING NEVERLAND, Marc Forster (MONSTER’S BALL) parlait d’écriture, d’inspiration et de frontières imaginaires. Le cinéaste conjugue à nouveau ces thèmes, cette fois dans une méditation ludo-philosophique portant sur ...read the complete Stranger Than Fiction movie review at Médiafilm
kids-in-mind
Will Ferrell stars as a painfully organized and lonely IRS auditor whose life changes one day when he begins to hear a woman's voice narrating his every move and every thought. He soon realizes that the voice belongs to an author and his life mirrors ...read the complete Stranger Than Fiction movie review at kids-in-mind
The Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel
"Stranger Than Fiction" is a poetic and thoughtful rummage through the cosmic closet with a comic actor best known for less intelligent fare. Now that's stranger than fiction. ...read the complete Stranger Than Fiction movie review at The Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel
Hollywood Reporter (John DeFore)
The picture pleases while remaining unchallenging to a broad audience. ...read the complete Stranger Than Fiction movie review at Hollywood Reporter (John DeFore)
KYW Newsradio (Bill Wine)
It's one thing for Harold Crick to find out (to his amazement, and by way of a narrator whom he alone hears as he goes about his daily rituals) that he's actually a character in a novel. ...read the complete Stranger Than Fiction movie review at KYW Newsradio (Bill Wine)
Austin Chronicle (Josh Rosenblatt)
Harold Crick – IRS auditor, milquetoast, and poster child for obsessive-compulsive disorder – wakes up one morning to the rather unsettling realization that he has the voice of an Englishwoman narrating his life. The voice describes the state of ...read the complete Stranger Than Fiction movie review at Austin Chronicle (Josh Rosenblatt)
The Onion (A.V. Club) (Scott Tobias)
Amid all this metafictional hoopla lies the real heart of the movie, a tentative romance between Ferrell and a tax-withholding baker played with adorable prickliness by Maggie Gyllenhaal. ...read the complete Stranger Than Fiction movie review at The Onion (A.V. Club) (Scott Tobias)
Deseret News, Salt Lake City
"Stranger Than Fiction" was not written by screenwriter Charlie Kaufman — who gave us such whimsy as "Being John Malkovich" and "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind." But it could have ...read the complete Stranger Than Fiction movie review at Deseret News, Salt Lake City
San Diego Metropolitan (Jean Lowerison)
Novelists sometimes say their characters take on lives of their own. In Harold Crick's case, that is literally true. ...read the complete Stranger Than Fiction movie review at San Diego Metropolitan (Jean Lowerison)
Movie-Vault.com (Mel Valentin)
Directed by Marc Forster (Stay, Finding Neverland, Monster's Ball), Stranger Than Fiction is a metafictional, tragicomic romance or if you prefer a metafictional, romantic tragicomedy. Either way, Stranger Than Fiction takes a decidedly Charlie ...read the complete Stranger Than Fiction movie review at Movie-Vault.com (Mel Valentin)
South Florida Sun-Sentinel (Phoebe Flowers)
If you've really paid attention to Ferrell's career, this role is not a stretch. He brings great humanity to a character, and a movie, that ends up being more of a sentimental romance than the silly quirk-fest you might expect. ...read the complete Stranger Than Fiction movie review at South Florida Sun-Sentinel (Phoebe Flowers)
Chicago Reader (Jonathan Rosenbaum)
It's soon apparent that a closer model for this charming romantic comedy is "Bell, Book and Candle." The direction by Marc Forster (Monster's Ball) is so fluffy it's easy to drift along and ignore the logical lapses. ...read the complete Stranger Than Fiction movie review at Chicago Reader (Jonathan Rosenbaum)
Planet Sick-Boy (Jon Popick)
There are a handful of really nice moments in Fiction , and almost none of them have to do with Helm's outrageous setup. ...read the complete Stranger Than Fiction movie review at Planet Sick-Boy (Jon Popick)
L.A. Weekly (Ella Taylor)
Teems with ideas both literary and existential, which might make it unbearably precious, were it not redeemed by woozy charm and some serious acting from Will Ferrell. ...read the complete Stranger Than Fiction movie review at L.A. Weekly (Ella Taylor)
Film Threat (Pete Vonder Haar)
An oddly sweet little tale, and easily Ferrell?s most enjoyable movie in recent memory. And even though his onscreen chemistry with Gyllenhaal fills me with murderous rage, this film goes a long way towards erasing the memory of his more obnoxious roles. ...read the complete Stranger Than Fiction movie review at Film Threat (Pete Vonder Haar)
The New York Times (A.O. Scott)
While Stranger Than Fiction traffics in a bit of darkly funny existential anxiety, it also finds room for romantic fantasy and sentimental uplift. ...read the complete Stranger Than Fiction movie review at The New York Times (A.O. Scott)
Los Angeles Times (Kevin Crust)
A refreshingly grown-up comedy, "Stranger" is a charming film that is unafraid to be low-key in ways that studio releases seldom are. ...read the complete Stranger Than Fiction movie review at Los Angeles Times (Kevin Crust)
Ebert & Roeper (Richard Roeper)
Crisp, eccentric and exhilarating. ...read the complete Stranger Than Fiction movie review at Ebert & Roeper (Richard Roeper)
RopeofSilicon (Laremy Legel)
Stranger Than Fiction is a great concept coupled with poor execution. The idea behind the film is innovative and interesting, a reality bending universe that evokes strands of The Truman Show, Adaptation, and Being John Malkovich. Unfortunately it gets ...read the complete Stranger Than Fiction movie review at RopeofSilicon (Laremy Legel)
Reeling Reviews (Robin and Laura Clifford)
One day, just like every other of his meticulously structured days, IRS agent Harold Crick (Will Ferrell, "Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby") begins to hear a woman's voice narrating his life. He soon discovers no one else can hear this ...read the complete Stranger Than Fiction movie review at Reeling Reviews (Robin and Laura Clifford)
BBC Films
Chaos impinges on Harold's carefully ordered life while cleaning his teeth with the customary number of brushstrokes; a voice pre-empts his thoughts and drops a hint about his imminent demise. Initially Harold tries to ignore it, finding pleasant ...read the complete Stranger Than Fiction movie review at BBC Films
Entertainment Weekly (Owen Gleiberman)
There's no denying the movie has a surface allure. ...read the complete Stranger Than Fiction movie review at Entertainment Weekly (Owen Gleiberman)
Christian Science Monitor (Peter Rainer)
Movies with terrific ideas are a rare commodity in Hollywood. The idea behind Stranger Than Fiction is the kind of Charlie Kaufmanesque conceit that sounds a lot better than the way it's played out. ...read the complete Stranger Than Fiction movie review at Christian Science Monitor (Peter Rainer)
New York Post (Kyle Smith)
A boldly original undertaking: It's the first movie ever to come up with the idea of remaking "The Truman ...read the complete Stranger Than Fiction movie review at New York Post (Kyle Smith)
Charlotte Observer (Lawrence Toppman)
With its twist, the movie leaps into a fresh realm of fantasy. But director Marc Forster and first-time screenwriter Zach Helm don't know what to do when they get there, and the film's greatest asset almost becomes its undoing. ...read the complete Stranger Than Fiction movie review at Charlotte Observer (Lawrence Toppman)
Metromix.com (Matt Pais)
Cute title, but a snappy opening dissolves into a relatively simplistic tale of a wet noodle learning to stand up for himself. ...read the complete Stranger Than Fiction movie review at Metromix.com (Matt Pais)
Newsday (Gene Seymour)
Sometimes I think movies like Stranger Than Fiction don't experiment with narrative and character as much as cop out on them. ...read the complete Stranger Than Fiction movie review at Newsday (Gene Seymour)
TheMovieBoy.com (Dustin Putman)
A darkly whimsical dramedy that manages to walk the line between mainstream and unconventional. ...read the complete Stranger Than Fiction movie review at TheMovieBoy.com (Dustin Putman)
Slant Magazine (Nick Schager)
If the Charlie Kaufman-like writing theme suggests Adaptation. , Zach Helm's script really says little about authorship or form, settling for positing rather than explaining a capricious universe where a giant steam-shovel can bite out one's living ...read the complete Stranger Than Fiction movie review at Slant Magazine (Nick Schager)
One Guy's Opinion (Frank Swietek)
Despite its pretensions to be unusual, oddly imitative and ordinary...less like a story you find clever and surprising than like a book you've read before. ...read the complete Stranger Than Fiction movie review at One Guy's Opinion (Frank Swietek)
Q Network Film Desk (James Kendrick)
Stranger Than Fiction is a better-than-average gimmick movie, one that takes a grabby, clever premise that would seem to have little weight and stretches it successfully over a feature-length story. The gimmick is that, one day, an ordinary man suddenly ...read the complete Stranger Than Fiction movie review at Q Network Film Desk (James Kendrick)
About.com Hollywood Movies (Rebecca Murray)
IRS Agent Harold Crick (Ferrell) has no life outside of work. Crunching numbers and ferreting out tax scofflaws is all Harold lives for. Every moment of his life outside the office is carefully planned. But here comes the â€a-ha’ moment: one day as ...read the complete Stranger Than Fiction movie review at About.com Hollywood Movies (Rebecca Murray)
Greenwich Village Gazette (Eric Lurio)
Harold Crick (Will Ferrell) is an auditor for the IRS. He leads an extremely humdrum life, doing things with mathematical precision, that is until he discovers his has a narrator. How he does this is by hearing a voice in his head describing exactly what ...read the complete Stranger Than Fiction movie review at Greenwich Village Gazette (Eric Lurio)
Sun Newspapers of Cleveland
Personally, I think it's a surreal comedy, close to Beckett in "Waiting for Godot." Plus, I think the older I get, the more I think surrealists weren't that surreal after all, but actually real. When you think about it, here we are on this thing ...read the complete Stranger Than Fiction movie review at Sun Newspapers of Cleveland
Big Picture Big Sound (Joe Lozito)
There comes a time in the career of every “serious comedian” when he or she must do a “serious comedy”. After the deliriously funny “Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby”, Will Ferrell gets his “Truman Show” with “Stranger Than ...read the complete Stranger Than Fiction movie review at Big Picture Big Sound (Joe Lozito)
Slant Magazine (Robert Keser)
If the Charlie Kaufman-like writing theme suggests Adaptation. , Zach Helm's script really says little about authorship or form, settling for positing rather than explaining a capricious universe where a giant steam-shovel can bite out one's living ...read the complete Stranger Than Fiction movie review at Slant Magazine (Robert Keser)
efilmcritic.com (Robert Flaxman)
The Observer (Control freak Will Ferrell discovers he is a character in a novel being written by Emma Thompson)
Many people have the feeling that they're not entirely free to act and are being manipulated by outside forces (some call themselves Marxists, others are diagnosed as schizophrenic). On the other hand, writers often find that the characters they're ...read the complete Stranger Than Fiction movie review at The Observer (Control freak Will Ferrell discovers he is a character in a novel being written by Emma Thompson)
Palo Alto Online (Jeanne Aufmuth)
Director Marc Forster (Finding Neverland) takes an intriguing premise and goes virtually nowhere with it, despite the best efforts of Will Ferrell and Emma Thompson. What would life be like if you could hear a narrator chronicling your every move in ...read the complete Stranger Than Fiction movie review at Palo Alto Online (Jeanne Aufmuth)
PopMatters
I think [Kay] had a very powerful father. He was very, very clever and withholding of affection and approval, and he knew she was a good writer — actually a great one — and was very jealous of that. He withheld his approval, and she developed a ...read the complete Stranger Than Fiction movie review at PopMatters
Not Coming to a Theater Near You (Tom Huddleston)
In cinema, self-awareness is nothing new. Bugs Bunny argued with his animator, Woody Allen winked at his audience, even Arnold Schwarzenegger climbed down from the screen to humiliate himself in the â€real’ world. But a few years ago the success of ...read the complete Stranger Than Fiction movie review at Not Coming to a Theater Near You (Tom Huddleston)
Minneapolis Star Tribune (Colin Covert)
There's no joy in seeing Ferrell play an office drone, and the life lessons he learns are of the "All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten" variety. ...read the complete Stranger Than Fiction movie review at Minneapolis Star Tribune (Colin Covert)
Groucho Reviews (Peter Canavese)
A fantasy, so it's not obligated to be logical, but it should at least have internal logic and follow its own set of rules. A failure to do so untethers the film. ...read the complete Stranger Than Fiction movie review at Groucho Reviews (Peter Canavese)
"Steve Rhodes"
This bland and energyless production stars Will Ferrell as Harold, an anal
IRA agent. Harold is constantly running numbers in his head, which we see
as all-too-cute graphics on the screen. He counts stair steps and
toothbrush strokes and he ...read the complete Stranger Than Fiction movie review at "Steve Rhodes"
Salon.com (Stephanie Zacharek)
The picture is an overworked trifle: There's so much going on in it that it becomes hard to care about ANYTHING that's going on in it. The story in Stranger Than Fiction is stranger than fiction. But what good is it if it's ...read the complete Stranger Than Fiction movie review at Salon.com (Stephanie Zacharek)
Palo Alto Weekly (Jeanne Aufmuth)
A striking implosion of incongruent themes. ...read the complete Stranger Than Fiction movie review at Palo Alto Weekly (Jeanne Aufmuth)
Steve Rhodes
In STRANGER THAN FICTION, a movie much like the infinitely better ADAPTATION, Harold Crick finds himself as a character in a book. Distraught to find that his "real" life doesn't exist and that his author, Kay Eiffel (Emma Thompson), whom he knows ...read the complete Stranger Than Fiction movie review at Steve Rhodes
Washington Post (Desson Thomson)
There's a problem: This romance isn't developed enough to be truly satisfying -- it's fat-free SnackWell's when you want Godiva. It's not the original story we signed up for -- or thought we did. ...read the complete Stranger Than Fiction movie review at Washington Post (Desson Thomson)
Slate (Dana Stevens)
Seems to suffer from low self-esteem. Why can't this movie see that it doesn't need a hulking meta-narrative apparatus to make us care about its story? It had us at hello--or would have, if not for the excess of high-concept trickery. ...read the complete Stranger Than Fiction movie review at Slate (Dana Stevens)
Village Voice (Jim Ridley)
Stranger Than Fiction merely layers whimsy upon whimsy. As written, Harold Crick is no more convincing a human being than he is an IRS agent; Kay Eiffel's writing, supposedly good enough to inspire the career-long devotion of a literature professor ...read the complete Stranger Than Fiction movie review at Village Voice (Jim Ridley)
The Guardian (Peter Bradshaw)
Screenwriter Zach Helm's comedy has some quirky points, but it's very sugary and sentimental, and feeble compared to the work of those who have done the same sort of thing better: Woody Allen or ...read the complete Stranger Than Fiction movie review at The Guardian (Peter Bradshaw)
Ozus' World Movie Reviews (Dennis Schwartz)
Middling dramedy using a literary device for its plot line is listlessly directed by the Swiss-born Marc Forster ("Monster Ball"/"Finding Neverland") and penned by first-timer Zach Helm as if the story was layed on him by Charlie Kaufman. It has a ...read the complete Stranger Than Fiction movie review at Ozus' World Movie Reviews (Dennis Schwartz)
Seattle Post-Intelligencer (William Arnold)
The bad news is that Ferrell's modestly likable performance is the ONLY good thing about this misguided comedy that's so tiresomely written, badly acted by a stellar cast and ploddingly directed (by art-house whiz Marc Forster) that it just never quite ...read the complete Stranger Than Fiction movie review at Seattle Post-Intelligencer (William Arnold)
efilmcritic.com (Peter Sobczynski)
Boxoffice Magazine (Kevin Courrier)
Stranger Than Fiction makes for pretty tepid prose. ...read the complete Stranger Than Fiction movie review at Boxoffice Magazine (Kevin Courrier)
eFilmCritic.com (Erik Childress)
Boston Globe (Wesley Morris)
Watching the movie made me long for the big , risky ideas and entertainingly fearless filmmaking in David O. Russell's "I Heart Huckabees " and Spike Jonze's "Adaptation ," which Kaufman wrote. Both were similarly conceptual escapades, but they let it ...read the complete Stranger Than Fiction movie review at Boston Globe (Wesley Morris)
Filmjerk.com (Brian Orndorf)
The Independent (Anthony Quinn)
Will Ferrell, cast perversely against type, plays a sad-sack accountant named Harold Crick who measures out his every activity in numbers. One morning he hears a voice describing his daily routines: is he being watched, or is he going nuts? The voice is ...read the complete Stranger Than Fiction movie review at The Independent (Anthony Quinn)
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