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Stranger Than Fiction [Blu-ray]
 
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Stranger Than Fiction [Blu-ray] (2006)

Starring: Will Ferrell, Emma Thompson Director: Marc Forster Rating: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested) Format: Blu-ray
4.1 out of 5 stars See all reviews (313 customer reviews)

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Product Details

  • Actors: Will Ferrell, Emma Thompson, Dustin Hoffman, Queen Latifah, Maggie Gyllenhaal
  • Directors: Marc Forster
  • Writers: Zach Helm
  • Producers: Aubrey Henderson, Eric Kopeloff, Jim Miller, Joseph Drake, Lindsay Doran
  • Format: AC-3, Color, Dolby, Dubbed, Subtitled, Widescreen
  • Language: French (Dolby Digital 5.1), English (Dolby Digital 5.1)
  • Subtitles: English, Spanish, French, Portuguese, Thai, Korean
  • Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
  • Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1
  • Number of discs: 1
  • Rating: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
  • Studio: Sony Pictures
  • DVD Release Date: February 27, 2007
  • Run Time: 113 minutes
  • Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars See all reviews (313 customer reviews)
  • ASIN: B000M4RGA6
  • Amazon.com Sales Rank: #51,727 in Movies & TV (See Bestsellers in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com
Much was written about Will Ferrell's first "dramatic role" as Harold Crick, an IRS auditor who begins hearing a voice narrating his life. But Stranger Than Fiction is hardly a drama. However, what Ferrell does--like Jim Carrey before him in The Truman Show--is handle a toned-down character with genuineness and affection: you believe he is this guy. Crick leads a lonely life filled with numbers and routines. While at first he considers the voice a nuisance, Crick decides more action is needed when it speaks of "his demise." Enter Professor Jules Hilbert (Dustin Hoffman), who takes on the absurd notion with revelry, trying to find out what kind of book Crick's life is leading. It turns out that the voice Crick is hearing belongs to Kay Eiffel (Emma Thompson), a very real--and troubled--author who is writing a book in which Crick is a fictional character. As usual with these things, the stuffed shirt learns to live a better life--Crick even falls for one of his audits, a brash baker named Ana (Maggie Gyllenhaal). Marc Foster (Monster's Ball, Finding Neverland) has the right tone for the film, using great urban scenes (the unnamed city is Chicago) with interesting visualizations of Crick's world of numbers. He also directs Ferrell, Hoffman, and Gyllenhaal to their most charming performances (plus Linda Hunt and Tom Hulce pop up in two funny scenes). Ferrell succeeds in being a romantic lead you can root for; a scene where he eats Ana's freshly baked cookies is totally delightful without a hint of sarcasm. Screenwriter Zach Helm has two personal traits with his story: like Crick he followed his heart (he stopped rewriting scripts and only worked on his own) and like Eiffel, the final results are not a masterpiece, but good, and entertaining enough. Britt Daniel of the band Spoon worked on the dynamite soundtrack.--Doug Thomas


Extras from Stranger Than Fiction



"Counting Brush Strokes," A featurette

on the filming of Stranger Than Fictionhigh bandwidth

Tax Man!:

A clip from the film

high bandwidth

Queen Latifah on working with Emma Thompson
high bandwidth
Stills from Stranger Than Fiction (click for larger image)







Beyond Stranger Than Fiction on Amazon.com


Comic Actors Go Dramatic

CD Soundtrack

Emma Thompson Essentials



Product Description
An IRS auditor suddenly finds himself the subject of narration only he can hear: narration that begins to effect his entire life, from his work, to his love-interest, to his death.


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Customer Reviews

313 Reviews
5 star:
 (147)
4 star:
 (98)
3 star:
 (33)
2 star:
 (16)
1 star:
 (19)
 
 
 
 
 
Average Customer Review
4.1 out of 5 stars (313 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

 
104 of 113 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars Literature, Taxes, Death And Cookies--A Difficult Concept Is Executed With Originality And Precision, November 18, 2006
The idea of "Stranger Than Fiction" appealed to me the moment I first heard of it. Harold Crick, played by Will Ferrell, wakes up one day and hears a voice. An omniscient narrator is relating his life with precision and no one can hear that voice but himself. It turns out that the voice is Emma Thompson, playing a famed author who is actually writing a novel about a character named Harold Crick. And it's the same Harold Crick. What is being put down in fiction is also concurrently happening in real life. It's a tricky concept, one that I felt might be impossible to pull off effectively. Well, not only does "Stranger Than Fiction" pull it off--it succeeds grandly as a surprisingly thoughtful, amusing, and moving contemplation of life. For Harold must immediately confront his mortality when the narrator informs him/us that he will soon die!

The complicated narrative of the film is pulled off brilliantly. The overlapping structure necessary to maintain the momentum and cohesion of the film must be attributed to a clever, intricate screenplay. Literate, witty, and real--it's a real treat. Lots of interesting effects help to pull the two worlds together making even the most mundane moments of Harold's life visually compelling. The movie's construction is fascinating and enjoyable.

Will Ferrell reins in his typical "overgrown kid" persona, and plays Harold as a real guy. It's refreshing and while I've never considered him a leading man type--his tentative romance with Maggie Gyllenhaal (while a bit of a stretch) is played very credibly and sweetly. Dustin Hoffman, as a literature professor helping Harold discover what book he's in, is having a great time. But it's Emma Thompson that stole my heart. As the author, she is a complete neurotic mess--but as she begins to realize what is happening, something in her transforms. Her character provides much of the film's insight and it's most powerfully dramatic acting. It's a deft balancing act, and as usual--she hit all the right marks.

After a near perfect movie, we have to bring both stories of Harold to an end. The movie turns into a poignant examination of sacrifice. If Thompson kills Harold in her novel, it will be recognized as a great piece of literature. If she lets him live, the novel will be just another routine bit of entertainment. This art versus commercialism angle is absolutely enthralling, and also surprising since it is raised so late in the film. There are moments of real power as everyone faces important life decisions--but these aren't false "lessons," they are genuine emotion that the film has subtly earned.

Ultimately, the ending is exactly what the film wants it to be. While I didn't find it the most satisfying choice--it is perfect for the movie because by this point the film itself is mirroring the novel within the film. It's a clever bit of trickery and very unusual. I admired "Stranger Than Fiction" very much and would give it 4 1/2 stars as an original and intelligent treat. KGHarris, 11/06.
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33 of 39 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars A Quirky and Pleasant Surprise, November 23, 2006
By L. L. M. Sanchez (Nowhere, Wisconsin) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   
A disclaimer: I've got a high tolerance for quirky and this film certainly qualifies as such. I loved it, but I love quirky films a lot more than the mainstream moviegoer.

I went to see this movie on a whim and so I didn't quite know what I was getting into. But a few minutes into it I just KNEW that it was going to be one of my favorites. And, indeed, it is one of the best films I've seen in the theater in a while. I smiled throughout the whole of it.

The story is new. The characters are engaging. And the plot is so very random that it just works.

Now I'm one of those people who ALWAYS questions the logistics of say *time travel* and/or *magic doorways* but this film was so very charming that I wasn't bothered by how incredibly non-sensical it seems: an author *creates* Will Ferrell's character and can decide if he lives or dies with her *typewriter*?

Oy.

The fact of the matter is, it's a fairy tale of sorts for a new and modern society. It's filmed in such an aesthetically astute manner. The actors are at their very best and most endearing. And the writing is wholly engaging.

It's NOT your typical Will Ferrell movie and if you go into it expecting fart jokes and prat falls, you'll be disappointed. But if you go into it with an open mind and a receptive heart, I imagine you'll be quite touched by the ideas it's trying to negotiate in its sweet and clumsy way.
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13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Very Very Funny . . . And Odd, April 1, 2007
By N. Burt "nikkles" (Wisconsin) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)      
This review is from: Stranger Than Fiction (DVD)
I loved this movie. It is funny and odd, but it has a lot of heart to it. The writing is so good that my friends and I thought at first that it must be adapted from a larger work, such as a book. The characters are that well crafted and the story that unique. These are not things most comedies bother with at present. Now, I'm calling this a comedy, but it will pull on your emotions a bit. Its all worth it though. The acting is great, which is not unexpected given the cast. If you love movies and are looking for something kind of different and original this is a good way to go. A really fun film to watch.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Ferrell strikes in this off-beat drama
In an era where Will Ferrell can only be a punchline character in any decent film, he really surprised me in this underrated gem. Read more
Published 5 days ago by B. Mogg

1.0 out of 5 stars SONY MAKING NON-PLAYABLE DVD'S
As did Mr. Bob Dobolina in his review, I got ZILCH when I attempted to play this dvd. Assuming it was a defective disc, I took it back to the video store and got another... Read more
Published 13 days ago by Steve DeMellman

4.0 out of 5 stars Surprisingly good!
Surprisingly good, funny movie from Will Farrell. His comedies are not usually my style, but here he plays things low-key and it works well. Read more
Published 24 days ago by Alan Starr

5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic.
I'm so glad to own this movie. I was tickled upon first seeing it, and now having seen it several times I've only found it to get better with each viewing. Read more
Published 1 month ago by K. O'Brien

5.0 out of 5 stars Love it
I love the idea behind this story. It's one of my favorites. Will Ferrel shines in this. I wish he'd do more movies like this and less extreme comedy.
Published 1 month ago by S. Pugliese

5.0 out of 5 stars Will Ferrell is unrecognizable
This film is funny, clever and at times quite dramatic.
It's a major shift for Will's goofy on-screen image! Read more
Published 1 month ago by Ryan Ross L.

4.0 out of 5 stars A sweet romantic comedy with a gimmick
Harold Crick (Will Ferrell), an IRS agent who leads an extremely boring life, discovers that he is the main character in a novel written by Karen Eiffel (Emma Thompson), an author... Read more
Published 1 month ago by Genevieve Hayes

2.0 out of 5 stars The death of the author (and maybe the reader, too)
Less a story or cinematic experience, "Stranger Than Fiction" is scarcely more than a flimsy premise for a weak romantic comedy, ultimately distinguished by a didactic voice-over... Read more
Published 2 months ago by Samuel Chell

4.0 out of 5 stars Death and taxes
Short Attention Span Summary (SASS):

1. Harold Crick (Will Ferrell) is a tax man. As a matter of fact, he's the kind of serious tax man that the Beatles sang about:... Read more
Published 3 months ago by Amanda Richards

5.0 out of 5 stars Stranger Than Fiction
LOVE THIS MOVIE. PHENOMENAL CAST. FUNNY,SAD AND INSIGHTFUL. NOT FOR EVERYONE, THOUGH. WOULD BE FOR PEOPLE WHO LIKE "SENSE AND SENSIBILITY" OR "BIG FISH" (MAYBE)
Published 3 months ago by D. Helde

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