They say that “truth is stranger than fiction,” and while it’s easy to see how this can often be true, there is one piece of fiction that always comes to mind whenever that phrase is spoken:Stranger Than Fiction. This 2006 fantasy-comedy-drama followsWill Ferrell’s Harold Crick, a seemingly uninspired individual who works for the IRS and lives a boring, uneventful, and unfulfilled life. But when Harold begins to hear the voice of a mysterious narrator (Emma Thompson) in his head, he soon discovers that he is in a story (whether a comedy or a tragedy, he does not know) and he is about to die. You may not think that this is the type of film that could produce Will Ferrell’s most powerful performance, but you would be wrong. Everything about this movie proves that these sorts of roles are Ferrell’s best, and we want to see more.
‘Stranger Than Fiction’ Is Will Ferrell at His Most Profound
Stranger Than Fictionis profound, elegant, and simply enrapturingas we wonder how this bizarre turn of events will end up playing out. It’s a great film, and rewatching it again for the first time in years is just as delightful an experience. But perhaps the very best thing about the film is that it showcases thatWill Ferrell has such incredible dramatic rangethat, truthfully, he should be cast more in these more serious, heartfelt roles. Sure, there is still an element of comedy to his performance here (no doubt why he was cast in the first place), but theemotional crux ofStranger Than Fictionlies in Harold’s desire to live and to love.With death impending, Harold Crick changes his life. He makes new friends, falls in love, pursues his dreams, and becomes the type of person he always wanted to be. More significantly, he becomes the type of person thatwe allwant to be. In fact, when he discovers exactlyhowhe is going to die, he chooses to do so anyway because he recognizes the importance of it.
As we see how earnest he is in his affections for Ana (Maggie Gyllenhaal) or the way he valiantly attempts to find the woman writing about him in his mind, Ferrell commands not just our full attention, but our emotional engagement. While he might be most well known for being a straight-up comedy actor,responsible for hits likeOld School,Anchorman, andStep Brothers, it’s a film likeStranger Than Fictionthat proves beyond a shadow of a doubt that Ferrell does, indeed, have the chops to pull off a heartfelt role that makes us laugh, cry, and jump for joy. While Ferrell has certainly thrived in roles that blend comedy and tragedy before (one could argue you see this to amuch lesser extent in bothElfand, yes,evenThe Lego Movie), it’sStranger Than Fictionthat emphasizes the comedy star’s ability to be just as impressive in a dramatic tale. Certainly, it makes us crave more from him.
What Makes Will Ferrell’s ‘Stranger Than Fiction’ a True Masterpiece?
Harold Crick is a compelling character because he feels like every one of us. Okay, most of us probably aren’t IRS agents who are hated by most people, and not everyone can do mental math at lightspeed, but that’s not why Harold Crick feels so familiar. It’s the way he responds to this news of his impending death (not to mention the strange voice that has suddenly invaded his mind) that feels so authentically truthful toour shared human experience. Who wouldn’t wonder if they were going crazy? Who wouldn’t reach out to whomever they have to — including a literature professor played byDustin Hoffman— to try and fix things? Who wouldn’t begin to question the worth, value, and direction of one’s life? Yet, the character’s altruistic attitude towards life, and perhaps even death, changes him profoundly.Stranger Than Fictionworks so marvelously because it allows us to know Harold so deeply, so intimately, that when he begins to change his life and break free from the personal traits and traditions that held him back, we can instantly see the parts of ourselves that well, too, ought to change.
One could talk about the way the film is masterfully edited, the special effects that give us an even clearer window into Harold’s mind, or even the chemistry between Ferrell and Gyllenhaal (which is just exquisite), but this is all just windowdressing to the beautiful structure that isStranger Than Fiction. ScreenwriterZach Helmoutdoes himself here, crafting a narrative that feels, yes, strange but not entirely out of reach. The juxtaposing threads between Ferrell’s Harold Crick and Thompson’s Karen Eiffel are woven masterfully together, asboth characters come to personal revelations that entirely shift the course of their lives. Harold learns to live, he falls in love, and he willingly lays down his life for another. Karen recognizes thattragedy is not all life should be, and that her own power to save a life (even if it makes her next novel,Death and Taxes, far less compelling) is far more important than her own critical success. It’s this selflessness that may feel “stranger than fiction” to many, but it’s the crux of what makes this 2006 dramedy so spectacular.
Will Ferrell Needs To Pursue More Dramatic Roles With More Subtle Comedy
While there are probably other actors who could have played the part, no one would have been as inspired a cast as Will Ferrell. The truth is, while Ferrell has dabbled in more dramatic, serious roles since (such as2010’sEverything Must Goand2020’sDownfall), none have quite compared toStranger Than Fiction. Maybe it’s becausethe film plays well to Ferrell’s distinct brand of loud and obnoxious comedy (though used quite sparingly)while especially highlighting the same emotive honesty he previously expressed inmovies likeElf. It’s no wonder then that evenRoger Ebertonce calledStranger Than Fiction"an uncommonly intelligent film does not often get made…which requires us to enter the lives of these specific quiet, sweet, worthy people." The critic went on to compare Ferrell’s work here to the likes ofSteve MartinandRobin Williams, who had each proven themselves as capable of dramatic work as comedy. Of course, he’s right.
Odd Couple Mark Wahlberg and Will Ferrell Bring Out the Best in Each Other in This Crime Comedy
The Adam McKay action comedy also stars Michael Keaton, Steve Coogan, Eva Mendes, and Samuel L. Jackson.
IfAdam Sandlercan break into meatier dramatic roles in the modern era, then there’s absolutely no reason that Ferrell couldn’t continue further down this path himself. As fun as heartfelt holiday flicks likeSpirited, musical features likeEurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga,or his other comedic works can be, Ferrell is not quite the major star he once was. If he were to pivot towards roles likeStranger than Fictiononce more,we could find ourselves in a Will Ferrell renaissance that could defy all expectations. However, even if Ferrell has no interest in taking on a role like Harold Crick again, the truth is thatStranger than Fictionis simply brilliant, and is the type of once-in-a-lifetime performance that simply cannot be replicated.
Stranger Than Fiction
