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Stranger Than Fiction (2006) ✦ Full-Length Watchalong Reaction (Patreon)

Published:
2024-09-21 01:30:01
Edited:
2025-05-21 01:25:40
Imported:
2026-08
Tags:

Content

WARNING: my camera link froze up during this reaction, unfortunately. 😭 The last 25 mins or so will not have a visual reaction to it, you'll only hear my audio. I left the frozen video up just so that there's something there, but yeah. 😭 Feel free to watch the very beginning of my review for the explanation into why this happened.

Okay, this movie! This was a Reactr request from Tyler. Since this reaction botched partway through, I've let him make a second movie request without payment and that will be in the schedule at some point in the future. This is a very cute movie and I'm happy to have seen it! I'm looking forward to your comments. Please enjoy! [Direct link here.]

✦ KL

Files

Stranger Than Fiction (2006) ✦ Full-Length Watchalong Reaction

Comments

Tyler Foster

I'm off to see some friends tonight, so I won't actually be able to watch this until tomorrow. That said I hope that people check it out even with the video freezing up if they haven't seen it, as I think this is a very underrated movie, with a great premise and two wonderful lead performances. At the time of its release, I think it was overshadowed by the work of Charlie Kaufman, in particular Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. I do believe that that movie is a masterpiece, probably a little bit richer than this one, but still think that this is great on its own merits, and I find that it has a feel-good quality that few movies that I have seen can match.

Bryan Dempsey

Tyler you have great taste in movies. This has a great premise that was actually recycled a few times after this but I find this to be the gold standard. I haven’t actually seen this in a while. I loaned my dvd to someone I’m no longer friends with so it’s a rental for me today, but worth it. I’m sure KL’s voice will carry me through just fine.

Steve Mercier

Looooooove this movie. I'm not always a fan of the big comedic actors when they do the big comedic things: Jim Carrey, Jack Black, Will Ferrell. I think I feel the same way about musicals: the big, bombastic, silliness sometimes just takes me out of the realness (even when not at all real) of the movie, of the story. Sometimes those movies, and those performances, are still some of my favorites: love Jack Black in 'High Fidelity' and 'Tropic Thunder'; and Jim Carrey in 'Dumb and Dumber' and 'Ace Ventura; Pet Detective'; and Will Ferrell in 'Elf' and 'The Other Guys'. This movie really allowed me to see Will Ferrell in a different, more subtle light; and, now that I know he's capable of giving this kind of performance, I think I can appreciate his schtick a little more. Feel the same way about Jim Carrey and 'Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind'. Anyway...I'm done rambling. Sha-ZAM!

Nathan Jasper

Before the rewatch: Ah, I was wrong in my guess but regardless, it seems to be highly regarded. I was personally never a fan, mainly because Will Ferrell was in his state of trying to make tantruming like a 3 year old funny. I hated him for so long. Talladega Nights was the one that really solidified my hate for the man. Not to mention making Bewitched so dull and tasteless that I begged for a labotomy. I started turning around with The Other Guys, Everything Must Go, and Daddy's Home. He's still not my favorite but I'm not as harsh on him anymore. I'd be willing to give this one another chance now that I'm no longer in the "everything he does is trash" mindset. Updated thoughts after the rewatch: I am glad I gave it a second chance but I'm just gonna say it now, The Truman Show did it better LOL I did find that I enjoyed the film more now than I did when I first saw it, mainly for everyone other than Will Ferrell. He wasn't bad though, his actions made sense and he was taking the material seriously. So, yeah, beneficial rewatch but probably wouldn't go out of my way to see it again. Side note, what do you think Game of Thrones characters would think if they could hear their narration?

Death Lego

If you haven't seen it already, give Adam Sandler's dramatic performance in Reign Over Me, a chance. For the same reason. My favourite movie of his.

Death Lego

Tyler has impeccable taste with this one. One of my absolute favs. And has one of my favourite line deliveries in all of the cinematic history, that I've seen. For me, "Little does he know" is a masterclass in the wonderfully tempered choice one makes from page to performance. Unless it was ad-libbed, which makes it great for the same but different reasons too. Still got a back log from a few too many subs, but postponing everything for this one.

Tyler Foster

I came home from my friends' place at 12:30am and I wasn't really that tired, and I've been looking forward to this since I saw it on the schedule Monday, so I figured, why not watch it when I ought to be sleeping? If you go back to your post for The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, I actually said this in the comments: "As you know, when I put in my Reactr Request it was down to two movies...I do think this movie bears out my hypothesis as to a type of movie that seems to be up your alley." This was that other movie, and my belief that you'd enjoy it was based on the fact that you liked that movie and had also given Eternal Sunshine five stars on Letterboxd. To me, the three films fit into a subgenre of movies that feature some sort of fantastical sci-fi or fantasy element, but only for the purposes of exploring universally understood human experiences. Can't lie, I definitely have a mega-crush on Maggie Gyllenhaal in this movie, and I think the romantic elements of the movie are handled beautifully. I also love the little mathematical graphics on-screen, the fantasy death sequences, and lots of other little touches. What's sort of funny is that this director's track record otherwise is sort of spotty: Marc Forster's other movies include Monster's Ball, which is one of those Oscar winners that some people seem to think is sort of corny or an overly stereotypical pick; Quantum of Solace, perhaps the most widely-disliked of the most recent James Bond movies; and World War Z, which was a notoriously difficult production that seems to have lowered his profile significantly in Hollywood. Still, not many filmmakers are lucky enough to have an arguably perfect movie on their resume, and I think Stranger Than Fiction is one of those movies -- not to say that it's the greatest movie ever made, but within the context of what it's trying to accomplish, I wouldn't change a thing. Although director Brad Bird has apparently never confirmed any of his influences, the actress playing the therapist who diagnoses Harold's condition as schizophrenia is Linda Hunt, who is one of the people that Edna Mode is suspected to have been visually inspired by, along with famous Hollywood costume designer Edith Head, Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour, and designer Iris Apfel. Also, the office therapist who says "convo" is played by Tom Hulce, who you would have heard as the voice of Quasimodo in Disney's Hunchback of Notre Dame. Also, fun (?) fact: I requested this from Mary awhile ago, and she also had camera difficulties on the day she filmed the reaction. She actually said, "this movie is great if you've just had two hours of technical difficulties." Perhaps the movie is secretly cursed, and that's why it's not available for streaming in Canada.

Tyler Foster

I have many thoughts on The Truman Show, but they will have to wait until kaiielle sees it!

Movies with KL

Yes, this was a fun Will Ferrell flick that wasn't his "usual".

Movies with KL

I've heard so many things about The Truman Show at this point that I have a feeling I'll know exactly what it's about within a few mins of watching. Guess we'll wait and see! It is on my watch list. Oh gosh, I have no clue (re: GOT question). But I bet the narration would get interesting.

Movies with KL

Nice yeah, this niche sub-genre is def up my alley. Good call. Ahh well my Edna callout was appropriate then. 😄 HAHA it's official, this movie is cursed. Thank you for requesting it anyway! 😊

Tyler Foster

After I posted this I also thought of Everything Everywhere All at Once as another entry into this subgenre.

Nathan Jasper

Joffrey suddenly felt a strange sensation. His throat seized and tightened as the poison seeped into his body... Meanwhile, Joffrey: 🙄😨🤢😵

Movies with KL

Hmm, for me EEAAO doesn't quite "fit" with STF and TSLOWM.

Tyler Foster

I definitely think the balance is reversed. With STF/Mitty/Eternal Sunshine, the emphasis is on the normal and the other-worldly element is like an accent, and the reverse is true of Everything Everywhere, but I do think it has some broad things in common.

Tyler Foster

If you pick it up again I recommend getting the second version of the Blu-ray, which is a "Special Edition." The first DVD and Blu-ray have the same extras, which are 6 behind-the-scenes features and 2 deleted scenes. For the rerelease Blu-ray (there is no accompanying DVD) they not only added 7 more deleted scenes, but more importantly, they added two commentary tracks, one of which features the director, Will Ferrell, and Dustin Hoffman. I only wish Maggie Gyllenhaal had also been available for it. There is also a second new technical commentary with the director and several crew members that I need to listen to.