Stranger Than Fiction (2006)

Director:

Marc Forster

Writer (WGA):

Zach Helm (written by)

Release Date:

10 November 2006 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama | Fantasy | Romance

Tagline:

Harold Crick isn't ready to go. Period.

Plot:

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

Plot Keywords:

Author | IRS Agent | Bakery | Audit | What If

Awards:

Nominated for Golden Globe. Another 1 win & 11 nominations

Cast

Will Ferrell	...	Harold Crick
William Dick	...	IRS Co-Worker #1
Guy Massey	...	IRS Co-Worker #2
Martha Espinoza	...	IRS Co-Worker #3
T.J. Jagodowski	...	IRS Co-Worker #4
Peter Grosz	...	IRS Co-Worker #5
Ricky Adams	...	Young Boy
Christian Stolte	...	Young Boy's Father
Denise Hughes	...	Kronecker Bus Driver
Peggy Roeder	...	Polish Woman
Tonray Ho	...	IRS Co-Worker #6
Tony Hale	...	Dave
Maggie Gyllenhaal	...	Ana Pascal
Danny Rhodes	...	Bakery Employee #1
Helen Young	...	Bakery Customer #1

Also Known As:

Killing Harold Crick (USA) (working title)
Más extraño que la ficción (Argentina) (Spain) (Venezuela) [es]
Aidosti outoa (Finland) [fi]
Felforgatókönyv (Hungary) [hu]
L'incroyable destin de Harold Crick (France) [fr]
Lütfen beni öldürme (Turkey: Turkish title) [tr]
Mais Estranho que a Ficção (Brazil) [pt]
Pio paraxeno ki apo paraxeno (Greece) [el]
Plus étrange que fiction (Canada: French title) [fr]
Przypadek Harolda Cricka (Poland) [pl]
Schräger als Fiktion (Germany) [de]
Väljamõeldisestki veidram (Estonia) [et]
Vero come la finzione (Italy) [it]

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for some disturbing images, sexuality, brief language and nudity.

Runtime:

113 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital | SDDS | DTS

Certification:

UK:12A | Ireland:12A | Finland:K-7 | Australia:M | USA:PG-13 (certificate #42015) | Switzerland:12 (canton of Vaud) | Switzerland:12 (canton of Geneva) | Singapore:PG | Sweden:7 | Germany:6 | Portugal:M/12 | Brazil:10 | Argentina:Atp | Malaysia:U | New Zealand:M | Norway:11 | South Korea:12 | Denmark:7 | Canada:G (British Columbia/Quebec) | Canada:PG (Alberta/Manitoba/Nova Scotia/Ontario) | Netherlands:6

Filming Locations:

25th Street & Christiana Avenue, South Lawndale, Chicago, Illinois, USA

Company:

Columbia Pictures

Trivia:

The guitar chosen by Harold is a Fender Stratocaster.

Goofs:

Continuity: At the beginning when Harold is brushing his teeth, there is toothpaste shown around his mouth. The camera angle changes and the toothpaste is gone, and he is still brushing his teeth.

Quotes:

Book Channel Host: So, can you tell us the title of the book you haven't written yet?
Kay Eiffel: [Who has had just about enough of this host] I'm calling it Death and Taxes.
Book Channel Host: Death and Texas? Hey! I'm from Texas!
Kay Eiffel: Wha?
Book Channel Host: Yep! San Antone.
Kay Eiffel: No, no, no, no. Death and Taxes. Taxes. TAXes.
Book Channel Host: Oh! Death and TAXES! Like the Ben Franklin quote.
Kay Eiffel: Yes.
Book Channel Host: Oh now I feel really silly.
Kay Eiffel: [under her breath] You should.

Movie Connections:

References "Star Trek" (1966)

Soundtrack:

Mind Your Own Business

What if your life really WAS a book?

Fantasy movie, a la "Groundhog Day" where a man, Harold Crick in this case, finds he has no control over his life....which leads to him really appreciate his life. Although the premise is clearly fantasy, the concept is intriguing and compelling.

Cast is terrific; those who usually over-act, e.g. Dustin Hoffman and Will Ferrell, play it lower-keyed and believable. Emma Thompson, Queen Latifah and Maggie Gyllenhall (and Tom Hulce, almost unrecognizable in a single scene)round out the excellent cast .

A feel-good movie, mostly comedy but with some tragic undertones.

Close to two hours but you won't be looking at your watch very often.