Stranger Than Fiction

  • 2006


MOVIE IS embarrassing engaging entertaining typical original
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63 %
72 % Certified Fresh
$ 53 Million
See Where to Watch Stranger Than Fiction
Positive Reviews 81
Negative reviews 19
Average Rating 3.5/5
embarrassing engaging entertaining typical original

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  • Positive
  • Negative
2.0
In this case, the narrative curlicues of a clever screenwriter would have been better as a straight line. Av Club
4.4
Stranger Than Fiction is a meditation on life, art and romance, and on the kinds of responsibility we have. Such an uncommonly intelligent film does n .. Rogerebert
4.0
She hurls insults at him, and, in short, doesnt make his job any easier. Common Sense Media
1.5
A great idea for a formally playful short stitched to a standard issue opposites attract romcom, Stranger than Fiction benefits from brisk pacing and .. Time Out
3.1
If the Charlie Kaufman like writing theme suggests Adaptation., Zach Helms script really says little about authorship or form, settling for positing r ..
4.5
But theres a problem: This romance isnt developed enough to be truly satisfying its like fat free SnackWells when you want Godiva.
4.0
This script, also about the writing process, is more breezythan Kaufmans and it doesnt have the edge or darkness that make Kaufmans voice inimitable. Screen Daily
3.8
A good movie but not a great one, Stranger Than Fiction is reminiscent of the films of Charlie Kaufman.
2.5
The link between comedy and tragedy is closer than Ferrell believes but the line isnt as clever as it should be and not nearly as profound as it belie .. E Film Critic
3.8
The thing to delight in about Stranger Than Fiction is its cant miss premise: A man hears a voice narrating his every action and comes to realize that .. San Francisco Chronicle
4.0
It might be Charlie Kaufman lite, but this is a great date movie for the discerning smart, ingenious and heartwarming.
3.5
The movie doesnt stick with its premise consistently enough; Eiffels narration should have served as a soundtrack to the entire film, rather than as a .. Cinema Blend
3.8
So, in lieu of the usual cookie cutter movie, we at least get the cookie itself, a nice light treat. The Globe And Mail
4.0
This engaging comedy is carried by strong and appealing performances by Will Ferrell, Dustin Hoffman, Emma Thompson, and Maggie Gyllenhaal. Spirituality And Practice
2.0
Despite its pretensions to be unusual, oddly imitative and ordinary...less like a story you find clever and surprising than like a book youve read bef .. One Guys Opinion
3.0
Its the kind of middlebrow film that pretends its arty and thinks its so smart. Sover
4.4
If she doesnt get nominated for something early next year, it will be a travesty. ReelViews
3.8
A trippy trifle from the Charlie Kaufman/Michel Gondry school of pop metafiction. Tv Guide
3.8
Until this unsatisfying ending, however, the movie flows exactly right. Combust Ible Celluloid
3.0
...the film also closes on a less than inspired note, but the filmmakers fail to take advantage of the literary irony.
3.8
The end result is a sporadically passable yet terminally misguided blockbuster that squanders its promising setup, and theres little doubt that the fi .. Reel Film Reviews
3.0
Eiffel doesnt want to change the ending either, but she doesnt want to kill Harold. Lariat
3.0
We must ultimately deal with the fact that Harold doesnt know how he can be real AND a figure in Karen Eiffels novel, and frankly, the movie doesnt kn .. Eric Ds Nider
3.0
The movies unforgivable logical flaws and gummy platitudes dont sink it, though, and thats thanks to Ferrells fine and humane performance. News Review
4.5
Ferrell gets Harold exactly right a pathetic and lovable man child, flawed but charmingly naive. Shadows On The Wall
5.0
Brilliantly written, thoughtful and frequently hilarious comedy with impressive direction and terrific performances from the entire cast. View London
2.0
Ana is a world weary free spirit who doesnt believe in paying taxes to support bad government, and at first shes so abrasive that we can only assume s .. Cs Monitor
1.5
Stranger Than Fiction is not clever enough to reach Adaptations upscale audiences or funny or entertaining enough for more mass consumption. Film Journal International ..
3.8
While some of the films literary motifs and devices might at first be a bit confusing, on whole its pretty amusing and rewarding and certainly one of .. Deseret News (Salt Lake Ci ..
2.5
This bland and energyless production stars Will Ferrell, who sleepwalks through his part with the same stoic expression. Its a performance almost guar .. Internet Reviews
1.9
If that doesnt make a better movie, it at least makes one I havent already seen. Boston
4.5
Harold comes to Professor Jules Hilbert after conventional psychiatry fails him. Smh
5.0
Beautifully written (the passages from Eiffels book are stunningly good), acted and directed, theres not a false note in Stranger Than Fiction. Mountain X
4.5
The actors and the filmmakers all take a more restrained approach than you might expect, keeping the humor gentle, and the jokes mostly as literary as .. Npr
4.5
Watch for it to beome an endlessly rewatchable classic like Groundhog Day. (
3.1
Stranger Than Fiction seems like an old episode of the Twilight Zone, and the idea would have worked better as one of Rod Serlings half hour epistles .. Toronto Star
2.0
Forsters original serio comedy, in the vein of Kaufman Jonze meta narrative cinema, is an existential yet heartfelt film about creators and their char .. Emanuellevy
4.5
In the meantime, Harold an IRS agent falls hard for a spunky baker (Maggie Gyllenhaal), a woman hes auditing for unpaid taxes. Reel Talk Reviews
2.5
In many ways, Harold does not come across as a real character. He is more of a conceit than anything, defined entirely by quirky character traits, rat .. Q Network
4.5
Stranger Than Fiction is no Eternal Sunshine. But if you can look past its clunky attempt to be exactly that, theres great pleasure in watching Ferrel .. Slate
4.0
Yet Forster is cleverer than to use cinema as therapy and he ensures that this film is more than a film with a single gimmick; the manic spirit of Pre .. Flim List
3.5
Sure, more a caricature than a fully fleshed out person, but he reacts to his increasingly unbelievable situation with unexpected...believability. Flim Threet
3.0
FRESH AND FUNNY ENOUGH Comedy is incidental to Ferrells heartfelt portrayal of a man who desperately wants to live but doesnt know how. Bbc
3.0
Movies used to sail on charm.Gorgeous stars would purr their smooth patter, smile their way out of embarrassing entanglements and seal their conquest .. Time
3.1
A darkly whimsical dramedy that manages to walk the line between mainstream and unconventional. The Movie Boy
4.0
Harold isnt a loner because hes socially retarded so much as hes a loner because hes never given himself the option of living any other way. Bullz-Eye
4.5
It manages to be smart and surprising and provides this season of serious movies with a much needed shot of whimsy. Calendar Live
2.0
What starts out as a complex, intriguing movie turns stale quickly. Hollywood
3.0
It ultimately cant make us fall in with its outlandish premise even on the level of absurdity. Seattle Pi
4.0
Will Ferrell and Emma Thompson give brilliant performances in this metaphysical, Kafkaesque dilemma...far too deep to be viewed as a frivolous comedy. Tony Medley
3.0
Stranger Than Fiction is a sterile and pedantic comedy that tells much more than it shows. Coles Mithey
3.8
Original as it is winning, I found the movie to be a pure joy, easily one of the most entertainingly spellbinding love stories Ive had the pleasure to .. Movie Freak
3.5
They try to have their cake and eat it too, and it just doesnt work.
4.5
Who hasnt imagined that theyre a main character in a book or movie Perhaps it is this manic egocentric nature of my personality that made me fall in l .. 7M Pictures
3.0
I loved the little schematic diagrams that track Harolds too linear existence. Zach Helms script is very funny and occasionally shocking. Oregon Live
2.0
Much as it strives to be an intelligent story about intelligent people, Stranger Than Fiction is basically Adaptation for Dummies. E Online
5.0
A fresh and original fantasy love story entertainment that will arouse all the literary DNA we possess. Varia Gate
3.8
Despite all that, its still an enjoyable movie that entertains, thanks in no small part to its likable and talented cast of actors. Three Movie Buffs
4.4
Stranger Than Fiction is odd and eccentric, but in the end it finds its heart. After all, if theres hope for a drone like Harold Crick, theres hope fo .. Kansas City
3.1
Not the most satisfying of films, and it may not be as profound as it wants to be, but there are moments here that make it well worth a look. Christianity Today
3.8
Starring Will Ferrell, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Bustin Hoffman, Emma Thompson. Ross Anthony
3.0
for all its faults, it blazes new trails in mixing popular entertainment and philosophy, not to mention metaphysics, with enough panache to make it al .. Killer Movie Reviews
5.0
Inventively inverting Adaptation.s anxiety into light romance, Fiction is one of the most intelligent, lively, charming and beguiling concept comedies .. The Filmy Ap
3.1
Thats not to say that Stranger Than Fiction doesnt have its moments. Big Picture Big Sound
5.0
He is great with a restrained, earnest performance as a guy who isnt the life of the party, isnt bombastic and loud, but is just a shy guy trying to m .. Waffle Movies
4.0
A surprising, pathos generating performance by Ferrell ... For the first time in a long time I really hoped a movies main character wouldnt die. Window To The Movies
4.4
of Stay not with the tearful whimsy of Finding Neverland but with a tranquil revelation thats true to the movies low key characters and delicately ere .. Chron
2.0
Screenwriter Zach Helms comedy has some quirky points, but its very sugary and sentimental, and feeble compared to the work of those who have done the .. Film Guardian
3.8
A movie that begins with a challenging premise but ultimately settles for a more accessible carpe diem kind of message. Scene Stealers
4.5
Helms strong script is aided by superb direction from Marc Forster and a top notch cast. Bowling Green Daily News
1.5
The encounter draws its charm from its emotional charge, and the presence of two genuinely endearing stars. Wsj
2.0
Yes, Stranger Than Fiction is a head trip. But its a very friendly one, and well crafted at that. Guide Live
3.0
As a philosophical study, its shaky beyond belief, but as a humorous trifle, it admirably makes up the difference. Flip Side Archive
3.0
Its feel good for real, uplifting in a meaningful way, and I loved it. Film Blather
4.4
its brand of dry humor may catch Ferrell fans off guard... much closer to Jim Carreys The Truman Show or Nicolas Cage and Meryl Streeps Adaptation tha .. James Sanford on Film
3.8
There may have been some room for improvement, but the movie still has a lot of things to recommend it. Stranger Than Fiction is funny and poignant at .. Aisle Seat
3.5
It may not be a masterpiece like new novel, but its an entertaining story. TheMovieChicks.com
3.1
Forster lards over his whimsically feeble film with sentimentality. Boston Phoenix
2.0
Faux profound uplift is in abundant supply throughout Stranger Than Fiction. Nicks Chager
4.5
When it flies, it soars. But it develops leaden feet as it spins over into a convoluted, overly long wind down. This is an intelligent, engaging film .. Vulture
4.5
Will Ferrell is a more than worthy heir to Lemmon, Hanks, Brazils Jonathan Pryce and Something Wilds Jeff Daniels. IGN Movies
1.5
I mean, hes not up there with Bill Murray when it comes to vulnerability and soul, but who is Still, he certainly doesnt embarrass himself. Spectator
4.5
A wondrously funny modern fairy tale, Stranger than Fiction manages to blend romance, satire and fantasy into a story thats both fully satisfying and .. Detroit News
2.0
A sweet comedy, an antidote to the over the top, vulgar and politically reactionary Borat. Compuserve
4.4
And director Marc Forster, whose career reads like a zigzag tour through genres (Monsters Ball, Finding Neverland), finds an agreeable groove, letting .. Seattle Times
4.5
The pop art opening credits suggest Saul Bass with an Xbox, a detour into genital torture (out of Hostel and Abu Ghraib) specifies Casino Royale as a .. Cine Passion
3.5
Its a shame that Stranger Than Fiction doesnt quite sustain its premise, but its so entertaining that you might not even notice. Cinematical
2.0
Fiction is one large false start, unable to claw out of the pit of its own toxic self awareness. Film Jerk
3.0
This is Will Ferrells Being John Malkovich or Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, but not as good as either of those other comedies of the mind. 2 The Advocate
3.1
Cute title, but a snappy opening dissolves into a relatively simplistic tale of a wet noodle learning to stand up for himself. Chicago Tribune
2.0
Ultimately its about fully embracing life rather than staying locked in our habits and comfort zones, hardly a new moral to the story in the history o .. Reel Times: Reflections on ..
3.5
Stranger Than Fiction is not a fluff film. Far from it. Literate and engaging, it may parade around in nonsensical clothes, but just scratch the surfa .. Brandon Fibbs
3.8
A documentary with the power to affect even the most jaded of moviegoers.
3.8
For much of the film, Ferrell must suppress his showman instincts to pull off the schlub act. Thats good for the film, but its bad for fans who expect .. Arizona Daily Star
3.8
Stranger Than Fiction may not be the typical crowd pleaser, but its a sweet, funny, intelligent film that showcases just how much Ferrell can do, even .. Miami Herald
4.4
Screenwriter Zach Helm and director Marc Forster take a great, out there idea and make it into something that feels true and magical. Madison
4.5
This movie is to Ferrell what The Truman Show was to Jim Carrey, the film that allows the comic to put both feet on the ground and to stimulate a full .. Democratand Chronicle
0.8
This doesnt apply to those with limited mobility who may need to use other entrances.) Time Out Ny
3.0
Ferrell doesnt give his typical over the top performance here, but rather creates a terrific, understated character that produces a huge amount of emp ..
4.5
Ferrell breaks the mold in this pleasantly surprising, terrific film. Reelz Channel
4.5
Stranger Than Fiction has a self regard that can grate, but Ferrell and Thompson give winning performances that suggest the films aim is true. The Reeler
2.0
Stranger than Fiction is more high concept than high brow; a comedy heavy on gimmick that falls a little short of cunning. Peterborough This Week
4.5
Unlike the brainier Kaufman stories, its easy to understand how matters are proceeding here without an air of pretentiousness. Sympatico.ca



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