Why Will Ferrell Deserves One More Chance -Stranger Than Fiction (2006)
I was halfway through writing this article before I realized it was written to people who already love this movie. They’re not interested in my opinion because they already share it. Instead I’ve rewritten it, and I’d like to direct this toward the people who are so tired of Will Ferrell they never even gave Stranger Than Fiction a chance.
So, to you, Will Ferrell hater, I would say this: you’ve got some fair points.
In Old School and Step Brothers he’s a one-trick pony. It’s a trick that has amused a lot of people, but it’s not for everyone.
In Barbie and The Lego Movie he’s a misplaced caricature and falls flat. Even in films where a caricature might seem right, he’s the wrong fit.
Elf (2003) is one of the most polarizing movies I’ve ever encountered - for some it’s an instantly beloved Christmas classic, while for just as many it’s the most annoying thing they’ve seen. My primary gripe with Elf has to do with Santa, who forgets to laugh like a jolly old elf and instead repeatedly and angrily yells “HO” at people like he’s judging street-walkers in Vegas. But I digress.
I at least partially agree with these and other criticisms of Ferrell, but Stranger Than Fiction is different. It’s the movie I recommend to people who can’t stand him. But why?
First, there’s a wonderful and talented cast supporting him that includes Emma Thompson, Dustin Hoffman, and Queen Latifah. For me the standout performer is Queen Latifah, whose muted portrayal of a publishing consultant stands confidently aside that of Emma Thompson’s eccentric author. It’s not so much that Latifah is better than Thompson, but more that she manages to equal her, and that’s no small feat.
Second, there’s the romantic interest played by Maggie Gyllenhaal. Some people hate her face. If that includes you, I can offer no counterpoint. Maggie’s face is all over this movie. Her performance as a tax-evading artisan baker is wonderful, though.
Third, the writing is damn clever. If I had to distill the cleverness of the writing and magic of performances down to one moment it would be this: IRS auditor Harold Crick (no relation) brings baker Ana Pascal a box full of brown bags sealed with stickers. “I brought you flours,” he says. It’s clever writing, an endearing gesture, delivered with openness and honesty by Ferrell, and beautifully reacted to by Gyllenhaal. I highly recommend watching with subtitles on, as it took me multiple uncaptioned views to understand this scene.
But fourth and finally, Harold Crick (still no relation) is emphatically not a typical trope-y Will Ferrell comic role. When he shines brightest are the scenes in which he displays sadness and resignation. “I think I’m in a tragedy,” he muses to Ana, without his signature boisterousness, and with the knowledge that this surely means he will die soon. Ferrell’s delivery of this line, and many others, demonstrates an acting talent well beyond his other roles.
Just to show that I’m being fair, I acknowledge that this movie is not flawless. In particular these is one moment that simply does not work, when Harold Crick (Ok, he’s my uncle) is settling down from an episode of manic frustration. He should crumble in that moment and deliver his lines with hopeless confusion. He doesn’t. It’s not good. Fortunately it’s brief.
But despite that one bad moment, and a few others that are a little weak, Stranger Than Fiction sets an extremely high baseline. It’s both hot and cold: a sterile world that comforts like a blanket. It’s clever yet silly. It’s serious yet ridiculous. I don’t watch Talladega Nights or Anchorman regularly. I do watch Stranger Than Fiction regularly. It’s one of my favorite movies, and whether because of Will Ferrell or despite him, you should give it a chance.