Tuesday, September 08, 2009

The movie about the guy who was a character in a book

The boy and I watched Will Ferrell in Stranger than fiction the other night and we were very pleasantly surprised. Although I've enjoyed his performance in Zoolander as the man who invented the piano-key neck tie, I wouldn't normally watch a movie just 'cos he's in it.

But he was very good in this one. It helped that the story was intelligent and thought-provoking. What would you do if you started hearing an intermittent voice in your head that seems to be narrating your dull, dull life? What if you found out that the author who owns that voice is trying desperately to finish her possibly award-winning novel by killing off her main character (that's you). And what if you were that author, and just found out that all those fictional people you'd killed off over the years were probably real people?

As well as being a gentle romance about a man who learns to take risks, live life and find love, it's also a movie about defying fate - or not. It even made me briefly consider whether a life-changing novel could possibly be more important than an actual life.

4 comments:

Determinist said...

One of my favorite movies that year. Really funny, but at the same time covers serious subjects and is romantic as well - a rare combination and succeeds in all of them.

Watson Woodworth said...

Will Farrell will do just about anything, so by the law of averages, he does really good smart films from time to time.
The premise reminds of of Delerious, a John Candy movie about a soap opera writer who starts to write events that effect the real world.

Angela said...

I liked that movie.

You have been busy.
Maybe you can teach TLM how to dust so you don't have to. Then you can sew lots of fun things.

You will have your coat done before you know it.

Smiles

Violet said...

Well it's nice to know that you all have good taste in movies!

Yes, been very busy during the day, and just want to blob out most evenings.At the rate I'm going I'll be pleased if I get my spring coat finished in time for autumn...