Blown Away
(For a plot synopsis, please click the link above. This review is a critique of the work, not a summary.)
Stranger than Fiction is far and away the best movie I have seen in months, possibly in the last year. I am utterly blown away. I mean, rarely do you find such a wonderful blend of humor, wit, meaning, and quiet humanity all in the same film.
As a comedy, it is wry and ironic. There is little physical comedy, and no toilet humor (not that I dislike either, but sometimes a change of pace is welcome). Though the film is clever, it is understated - a simple premise sets up the action , and from there the characters do all the work. And what wonderful characters they are!
Will Farrell is an amazingly good straightman in this film, something I never would have guessed from watching his oft over the top antics on Saturday Night Live for so many years. He plays a wonderful character with a subtle charm. Maggie Gyllenhaal (whose name I hope I spelled correctly) is wonderful as ever, and plays a character a bit more recognizable as a role you would think to see her in. Emma Thompson puts in, as usual, a very believable performance. And though her character is difficult to like at first, due only to the situation she's unwittingly put herself in, it is hard to be unimpressed with her acting. Queen Latifah, in a very serious role, is also good. So are Dustin Hoffman, and one of my favorite character actors, Tony Hale (Buster from the television series, Arrested Development).
I cannot recommend this movie highly enough. It is one of the few movies I've seen in the last few years that has truly earned its ending. It's not wrapped up in a little bow, and it does not come from nowhere and for no reason. The choices the characters make may surprise you, but it does not feel contrived; knowing the characters, as you do by the end of the film, their decisions make sense, and their motives are clear.
This is one I will watch again and again. I can't guarantee you'll enjoy it as much as I did, but I can hope.Read full review
