It's no secret that writers play God but does anyone think about the implications? If human beings can create ant farms of their own, creating characters out of nothing, who rise and fall according to the pleasure of the author, what does that say about the Creator? Is God the ultimate author? And if so, what does that mean for us?

Stranger Than Fiction is an amazing comedy about a man who discovers he's a character in a novel. Harold Crick (Will Ferrell) is an IRS auditor who lives his life "according to the book" in every way imaginable - the number of strokes he makes when he brushes his teeth, the number of steps he takes when crossing the road - even the number of seconds he burns on every coffee break.

But Crick's life takes a curious change when he starts hearing the voice of Kay Eiffel (Emma Thompson), the author of "Death and Taxes," which just happens to be the story of his life - and death. Driven to distraction by the realization that he's (a) a character in a story and (b) doomed, Crick consults with Professor Jules Hilbert (Dustin Hoffman) who is too intrigued with the idea to throw him out of his office. Approaching the case with a style not unlike that of a psychologist, Professor Hilbert begins the process of narrowing down the author.

Their partnership is about one thing - figuring out who's pulling the strings to see if this story can end without Crick's demise.

This is undoubtedly an odd, existential, tale - one reminiscent of Groundhog Day, The Truman Show, Being John Malkovich, I Heart Huckabees, Adaptation, and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. Some will consider the territory already covered. Others, like my wife, will be disappointed that Will Ferrell wasn't funnier. In fact, this film lets Ferrell do some of the same schtick we know him for, but once you accept the oddity of the storyline, he's surprisingly serious - and endearing.

This is a film whose bait and switch worked wonders for me, but will probably seal its fate, especially with Will Ferrell fans. Those looking for light, silly, fun - lured, as they were by the trailer - will discover that this is an exceptionally intelligent, articulate, film that borders on art-house. Writer Zach Helm has turned in an amazing script and story that rises well above the schlock of the marketplace, and director Marc Forster (Monster's Ball, Finding Neverland) playfully hits us with eye-candy that enhances the telling. One of Forster's tricks was to project captions onto the landscape of Crick's world, not unlike the price tags of a Mastercard commercial, to suggest the instant valuations that have become Crick's life. If the pace sags a bit, in the middle, it's as much a matter of audience reaction to settling down to a story that goes beyond the gimmicks to get into the issues behind the premise.

There's a great subplot here, involving a relationship between Crick - who lives by the book - and Ana Pascal (Maggie Gylenhaal), who has opened herself up for an audit by paying exactly 78% of her taxes - because she doesn't approve of the other 22% of the government's expenses. Pascal, who runs a bakery, and wears a seamless tattoo running down left side of her body, is a walking billboard for independent thought. She's anarchy on smooth legs, and it's everything Crick can do to keep his head in the books. In a typical Will Ferrell flick - like Anchorman - this would be the opening for bathroom humor and wanton silliness. It's to this film's credit that it restrains the urge to "give the people what they want" to take this tale to a higher plane.

This is Will Ferrell as you've never seen him before. He is funny here, but he's also surprisingly moving, as a man trying to keep his life together. Gylenhaal is her most seductive. Hoffman is a national treasure, and this film only reminds us of that. Queen Latifah, who has a small role trying to keep Eiffel on track to meet her deadline, does good work, reminding us again that she can act. And Emma Thompson, as the neurotic, erratic, genius writer, does some of the best acting of her career. This may not be Sense and Sensibility, or "Angels in America," but her performance is genuinely Oscar-worthy.

If you doubt my words, see the film, then tell me I'm wrong. I delayed my viewing of this film out of a bit of poor sportsmanship. Five years ago, I had an idea for a story where the main character realizes he's a character in a novel - and it frankly frustrated me to see someone else get a movie made from that idea - but I couldn't be happier with the result. This is a better film than anything I had imagined. That it didn't take the world by storm is more a reflection of how easy it is to overestimate the viewing public than anything else. Its fate (to premiere at number four) is the reason the market naturally selects more Scooby Doo sequels than stories with philosophical depth.

Perhaps somebody should give God a bad review.

Recommended:
Yes

Viewing Format: DVD
Video Occasion: Good Date Movie
Suitability For Children: Suitable for Children Age 13 and Older