Please Send me Questions about me! I'm Compiling a Question Time Review! Any Question - All will be ...
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Stranger than Fiction - I walked into Blockbusters picked it up and got it. Id never heard of it before and I didn't actually have it on my to watch list so I got it and here's my review! x
""The Film""
Harold Crick is a lonely Taxman. For the past twelve years everything has been the same, everything is precise in his life. The amount of times he brushes his teeth, the way he does his tie, the time he has on a coffee break. His repetitive routine was all timed precisely by his wristwatch.
A little strange but nothing completely out of the ordinary. That was of course until one Wednesday. As Harold Crick went about his normal way of getting ready for work, he hears a voice while brushing his teeth. The voice wasn't someone behind him, it wasn't his toothbrush. It was a narration, a narration to what Harold Crick was doing.
Thinking he was going a little crazy Harold confides in his friend Dave, whilst filing he asks Dave whether he too can hear anything. Dave shrugs and thinks Harold's a little overworked.
We then meet a client of Harold's, Ana Pascal who runs a small cookie cafe. She has much hatred toward Harold, not him personally. But because of the fact that he's a Taxman. Ana hasn't paid her Taxes and doesn't intend too. Ana is very uncooperative with dealing with Harold and paying her taxes. Whilst Harold is at Miss Pascals Cafe, the narration tells us of how he looks at Ana then realises when he stops listening he is staring at her boobs!
Harold becomes very angry toward the voice he can hear, he's confused about it and doesn't like what he hears.
We then see a lady standing at the edge of a high rooftop building. This lady turns out to be Karen Eiffel. A well credited Author. She has been given an assistant
by her publisher as they believe Eiffel has writers block. This is when we discover it is true and that Ms Eiffel is having trouble finding the ending toward her latest book. Eiffel is unable to work out how to kill her main character, Harold Crick.
Harold gets given time of work. Hes very distant, confused and doesn't seem to be able to concentrate on anything, other than the narration and Miss Pascal.
Whilst at a bus stop, Harold's watch seems to be going loopy, then finally it stopped. He gets the correct time from a gentleman at the bus stop. The narration tells us that the simply act of changing the time would result in his death. As Harold hears this he sets out to find out where this voice is coming from and whats going to happen.
He seeks out for help, visits a shrink but is told that what he is describing is schizophrenia. Unable to accept that he turns to Professor Hilbert. At first he doesn't seem to believe that what Harold hears is a narration but simply a voice in his head. Until Harold tells Professor that the voice said "Little did he know". This strikes a cord which the Mr Hilbert as he has written papers and done classes on Little did he know. So Professor asks Harold numerous questions and sets out to try and work out who the author is that's narrating Harold's Life.
Harold meets Miss Pascal again and apologises for his previous behaviour and begins so a light flirtatious conversation.
After returning to Professor Hilbert's the next day, Harold sets out to work out whether his story is a tragedy or a comedy. After concluding its a comedy as things are starting to move a little more personal with Miss Pascal. Crick returns once again to Hilbert's he then hears the voice of the narrator. Not in his head, but on the television. The Author is Karen Eiffel, the problem is, all her stories end in tragedy with the hero dying.
Harold begins a mission to find Ms Eiffel and attempt to save his life. Finally whilst out buy cigarettes Ms Eiffel manages to find out a way to kill her character and finish her book. The work is what she believes to be perfect and heartbreaking. Though as she begins to type, the phone rings and Harold Crick enters her life in a new light.
With the story being a masterpiece, finished and only needed to be typed up, will Harold manage to persuade Ms Eiffel to change the ending or will he discover the way he meets his end and let nature run its course.
Will it be to late for Harold and Ana? Too late to see whether it was just a little light flirting or whether it was love?
And what was the fuss about his wristwatch?
Main Cast
Harold Crick - Will Ferrell (_Blades of Glory, Anchorman, Old School, Elf_) Ana Pascal - Maggie Gyllenhaal (_Mona Lisa Smile, Adaptation, Happy Endings_) Karen Eiffel - Emma Thompson (_Love Actually, The Tall Guy, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban_) Professor Jules Hilbert - Dustin Hoffman (_Hook, Outbreak, Meet the Fockers_) Penny Escher - Queen Latifah (_Hairspray, Chicago, Taxi, Scary Movie 3_)
""Awards""
Won - *NBR Award 2006 - Best Screenplay - Original - Zach Helm.Nominated -
Saturn Award - Best Actor Will Ferrell, Best Actress Ana Gyllenhaal, Best Fantasy Film, Best Supporting Actress Emma Thompson, Best Writing Zach Helm.
Critics Choice Award - Best Supporting Actress Emma Thompson, Best Writer Zach Helm.
Golden Globe - Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy Will Ferrell.
ALFS Award - British Supporting Actress of the Year Emma Thompson
Satellite Award - Best Actor in a Motion Picture, Comedy or Musical Will Ferrell. Best Motion Picture, Comedy or Musical
WGA Award (Screen) - Best Original Screenplay Zach Helm.
Though only one award was won for this film. The amount of nominations just shows how great the acting and the writing was. This is what made it a great film. It was just a shame it didn't win more, because in my opinion it deserved too. ""My View""
I'd never seen the film advertised when it first came out. The cover just caught my eye when I was in Blockbusters. Every film I'd seen with Will Ferrell in was a pretty good comedy. At first I had trouble thinking of Ferrell playing a serious character, I mean after seeing him as Elf or Ron Burgundy I wasn't sure whether he could pull it off. But my lord I think he was definitely the best man for Harold Crick.
I really enjoyed the film, it kept my concentration all the way through and their were numerous surprises and twists which I didn't see coming.
The characters work well together, Ana and Crick though their is a ten year age difference have great chemistry together. The best character for me though I never wrote so much about her in my review is Emma Thompson's character - Karen Eiffel. Whilst watching the scenes with Ms Eiffel she made me believe she was an amazing author though I'd never read her books, it made me want too. The strange scenes, on the rooftop, the simple scene when she discovers the way to end the book just made me feel really inspired and I have no idea why.
I thought the film was amazing. It's a great story and so well written. I think Ferrell does a great performance in a non comedy role and I think we'll be seeing more films with him in minus the comedy.
I would recommend this to everyone. Its a great film and its definitely worth the watch.
How helpful would this review be to a person making a buying decision? Rating guidelines
Comedy - Director: Tony Dow - Original Language: English - Classification: 12 years and over - Starring: John Challis, David Jason, Nicholas Lyndhurst, Tessa Peake-Jones, Gwyneth Strong
Comedy - Director: Richard Boden, Mandie Fletcher, Martin Shardlow - Original Language: English - Classification: 15 years and over - Starring: Hugh Laurie, Miranda Richardson, Stephen Fry, Brian Blessed, Tim McInnerny, Tony Robinson, Rowan Atkinson
Comedy - Original Language: English - Classification: 12 years and over - Starring: Tessa Peake-Jones, Buster Merryfield, David Jason, Nicholas Lyndhurst
wow i haven't heard of this film i love comedy's might have to watch this one tonight cheers.
thanks for my ratings i will do the same
tom
ps. nice to meet you lol
Maximus-Qualitus 04.02.2008 07:09
A Superb review !!
grafter123 27.12.2007 19:43
That's a really good review as it told me plenty but left me actually wanting to watch the film and discover the end...eiley
Much was written about Will Ferrell's first "dramatic role" as Harold Crick, an IRS ... more
auditor who begins hearing a voice narrating his life. ButStranger Than Fictionis hardly a drama. However, what Ferrell does--like Jim Carrey before him inThe Truman Sh...
Postage & Packaging: £1.21 Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days...
Will Ferrell stars as Harold Crick, a lonely tax man whose world is turned upside-down ... more
when he starts hearing a mysterious voice narrating his life. With the help of Professor Jules Hilbert, the bewildered and hilariously resistant Harold discovers he'...
Advantages: Easy to understand - documents ALL her life and her impact upon England as a ruler. Disadvantages: Some people might prefer a 'traditional' film adaptation.
Advantages: Witty, gritty, thrilling... the best gangster film I've seen in years. Disadvantages: A bit of a Deus ex machina ending, some predictable moments...negligable really
Entwife 08.06.2007 (04.02.2008)
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful
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Nov 18th, 2007
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