I have to open this "sermon" with a sincere apology to my sister, Heather. She'll know why when she sees this.
This
week's film choice is an unusual one--which is certainly one of the
reasons I love it. As the son of a librarian with an inherited love of
literature, I was immediately drawn to the plot. Like a number of films
I've submitted in the year and change that I've been writing these
missives, this one is another of those movies I've classified as a
"mindfuck" (as always, pardon my French), which is one of the other
reasons I love it.
I
chose this week's film for a couple of reasons. Most notably, I read
this week that the author Susan Beth Pfeffer died at the age of 77.
When I was a kid, I was given an autographed copy of one of her books.
It was the first autographed anything I ever had. It was a good book,
although anyone who knows me would know that I can't really identify
with a book called What Do You Do When Your Mouth Won't Open? Sadly,
I lost it when I moved to Cleveland 25 years ago. So, primarily in
honour of Ms. Pfeffer, I thought I'd share the most literary film I know
that wasn't already based on a book.
In
this particular movie, Will Ferrell plays I.R.S. agent Harold Crick.
One day, Harold wakes up to hear a voice in his head that seems to be
narrating his life, "accurately and with a better vocabulary," as Harold
notes. Refusing to believe the psychiatrist who tells him he has
schizophrenia, Harold seeks advice from a literature professor, Jules
Hilbert (Dustin Hoffman). While Hilbert and Harold try to figure out
what kind of story he's in, Harold falls in love with a baker he's
auditing (Maggie Gyllenhaal), which completely shakes up his otherwise
non-literary life. All the while (SPOILER ALERT!!!!),
author Karen Eiffel (Dame Emma Thompson) is suffering from writer's
block--she can't figure out how to kill her main character, Harold
Crick. (Insert dramatic music here.)
There
are so many quirky little things about this movie that make me adore
it. All the little mathematic special effects that can sometimes get
missed. The fact that all the characters--major and minor, even the
ones whose names are not mentioned in the film itself--are named after
scientists, mathematicians, and architects. The acting. The
directing. The writing. The score. The city of Chicago. The neat and orderly--almost monastic--atmosphere of Harold's apartment versus the very lived-in clutter of Professor Hilbert's office. The fact
that we don't hear the word "miscreant" often enough. All of these
things combine into a beautiful, even haunting, work of cinema that I've
watched many times over the nearly twenty years since its release.
When
I hear people
say they don't like Will Ferrell (ususally people my parents' age), I
always tell them they're not watching the right Will Ferrell films.
When you can get him away from his normal "SNL"-type schtick that he's
so well known for and give him a great script, a talented director, and
an amazing supporting cast, he's capable of great things--I feel the
same is true of Adam Sandler. Unfortunately, the vast majority of
people want to see that schtick, so when actors like Ferrell and Sandler
do something outside of that, those projects aren't usually as successful at the box office,
which is a real shame. Those films always amaze me, particularly this
one. In fact, it should be noted that Ferrell even got a Golden Globe
nomination for his performance.
Released
in 2006, the film co-stars Queen Latifah and Tony Hale with some lovely
cameos by Tom Hulce, Linda Hunt, and Kristen Chenoweth. Written by
Zach Helm and directed by Marc Forster, please enjoy Stranger Than Fiction.
Until
next week, stay safe, be good to your neighbours, and please remember
that if at first you don't succeed, then skydiving definitely isn't for
you.
Yours in peace, love, and rock and roll!
The Reverend Will the Thrill
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