Stranger Things Have Happened

 

This is my entry in the It Grew On Me Blogathon hosted by Taking Up Room

 

 

Note: This is actually a stretch for the theme of the blogathon, but I have Rebecca's OK for it...

I don't like Will Ferrell movies. I gave him a shot with Anchorman, which I thought was just stupid and not at all funny. I tried again with A Night at the Roxbury. Still no go. Old School was just a waste of my time, as I didn't even crack a smile. When he was on Saturday Night Live, he was only slightly funny. I admit I like the Jeopardy! parodies, but his Alex Trebek persona had help or it wouldn't have worked for me either. (Darrell Hammond as Sean Connery and Norm MacDonald as Burt Reynolds both saved his ass from being a one and done character in the role of Trebek). I like the Austin Powers films, but only the parts where Ferrell isn't on screen. In fact I came to a conclusion that Farrell needs to have somebody of far greater talent to blur out his lack of such.

In 2006, when Stranger Than Fiction was released on home video, I was having a conversation with an employee, Mark, at my local video rental place and told him that the concept of the movie intrigued me, but I was reluctant to take the plunge since I thought it would end up being the same old same old stupid output that I had seen in previous Ferrell movies. Mark said something I will never forget, and something that I am grateful to him for saying. He said that I ought to check it out because he had discovered that "people who like Will Ferrell don't like this movie, but people who don't like Will Ferrell have been saying they like it."

Based on just that I decided to give it a whirl. And what do you know? I actually found a Will Ferrell movie that I can stand, nay, even like. A lot of that has to do with the fact that Ferrell wasn't trying to be funny, at least not in the usual sense of his attempts when he was doing his standard comedies. So, no, the movie doesn't necessarily qualify, in the strictest terms of this blogathon. I didn't hate the movie at the outset, and then gradually change my mind about it on repeat viewings. And I still will avoid most movies which Will Farrell is the star. But, given that fact, I guess you could say Ferrell "grew on me" in one respect, since I will recommend Stranger than Fiction, especially if you are, like me, rather dismissive of his usual output.

 

 

 

Stranger Than Fiction (2006):

Do you hear strange voices?

Unless you are David Berkowitz (the infamous "Son of Sam"), it's probably not a serious problem if you do.

But for Harold Crick (Will Ferrell), this voice he hears is somewhat problematic. It is not telling him to go out and kill random strangers like the voice that spurred Berkowitz, but it is infringing on his sanity. 

The premise of the movie is that Harold, who works as an auditor for the IRS, begins hearing a woman's voice who seems to be narrating his life, as if he is a character in some novel rather than a normal functioning human being. So how would you react if suddenly it seemed like someone was writing your life? This bizarre story plays out as Harold tries to discover just what the hell is going on.

 

It is complicated by the fact that only Harold hears this voice. Everyone around him reacts as if he is just some nutcase talking to himself. But hearing this voice is indeed happening, even if Harold is the only one who realizes it.

 

It turns out that somewhere else in the city is a frustrated writer who is going through a case of writer's block. Karen Eiffel (Emma Thompson) has written several novels, most of which ended with the death of her protagonist. 

 

But she has been struggling with her current novel, because she really has no idea how to kill him off. The character in her novel?

Harold Crick. 

Eiffel: "Little did he know that this simple, seemingly innocuous act would result in his imminent death." 

Harold ends up going to a psychiatrist who diagnoses him with schizophrenia. But Harold insists that he is NOT schizophrenic. For some reason, possibly just to get him out of her office, she suggests he see a literary professor, since Harold thinks he is somehow involved as a character in someone's novel.

 

He goes to see Professor Hilbert (Dustin Hoffman), who takes him seriously (or maybe just tries to humor him). Hilbert runs through various scenarios and determines that he is not Hamlet, or a golem or any of the various literary characters that might possibly be a solution. He even tries to determine whether Harold is in the middle of a comedy or a tragedy:  

Harold: "I just met a woman who told me to get bent."

Prof. Hilbert: "Well, that sounds like a comedy..." 

 

The woman that Harold is referring to is a woman. Ana (Maggie Gyllenhaal), who is currently under investigation for not paying enough taxes. She is initially openly hostile to Harold (as probably any one who is trying to skirt regulations on their taxes with the hope of getting away with it would be). But Harold finds Ana intriguing, even if he is a bit reserved in his development of a relationship.

 

Eventually Harold figures out that Karen is the culprit behind it all and tracks her down. Needless to say she is just as shocked as Harold is that the situation exists, that Harold is a real person, not just a figment of her writer imagination.

 

She ends up giving him a copy of the novel she has written, which he takes to Hilbert. Hilbert tells him that it is the greatest novel he has ever read, but that Harold's death at the end of it is the only way the novel could end with a satisfying conclusion.

 

I won't tell you how this all wraps up. I will tell you that, aside from Old Yeller, this is only the second movie that has ever brought me to tears at the end. And, despite the fact that I think Ferrell is still a subpar comic actor, he pulls off what I think is his absolute best ever performance.

Ferrell was recognized in the critical community for this role, which in my mind goes a long way in redeeming himself as an actor. Ferrell was nominated for a Golden Globes Award in the category of Best Actor in a Motion Picture: Musical or Comedy (which he lost to Sacha Baron Cohen for Borat). He was nominated for a Satellite Award for Best Actor- Musical or Comedy (which he lost to Joseph Cross for Running with Scissors). And, once again, he was nominated for a Best Actor Saturn Award (and that one he lost to Brandon Routh for Superman Returns). 

Could he also have qualified at least for a nomination for an Oscar? Hard to say. With the competition that year I find it difficult to find a spot for him. His competition would have included Forest Whitaker (the ultimate winner for Last King of Scotland), Peter O'Toole (Venus), Leonardo DiCaprio (Blood Diamond), Will Smith (The Pursuit of Happyness) and Ryan Gosling (Half Nelson). I don't say he would have won that either because, if you haven't seen Whitaker's performance, it was outstanding. But like Jim Carrey's performance in an earlier role in  The Truman Show, I think Ferrell's role at least deserved a nod. (Maybe substitute him for Ryan Gosling...)

Whether it was because Ferrell was playing against type, or there were other factors involved, the movie only did moderately well at the box office. With a budget of $30 million it only pulled in $54 million in ticket sales. It got some good reviews, however. It has a 73% Fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes. My old standby critic Roger Ebert gave it 3½ out of 4 stars, saying it proves that "he has dramatic gifts equal to his comedic talents". (Obviously Ebert had a better opinion of his comedy than I do...)

So, to sum up, I will leave you with this. Perhaps it is a good idea to take my friend Mark's advice: if you like Will Ferrell then approach this film with an open mind, but be expecting a different Ferrell, and if you don't like him, by golly, you are missing out by NOT watching.

Time to fire up the old Plymouth and head back to the house. Drive safely.

Quiggy