Wow, two winners in a row — my faith in Hollywood’s about to be restored or something. Definitely go see this movie. The cast is uniformly great and understated (and this includes Dustin Hoffman!). It’s smart and plays against expectation and especially traditional Hollywood movie expectation. It is not, I repeat NOT, a comedy; that’s some bait and switch they’re trying with the trailer. Although, maybe it ultimately is a comedy, in the larger sense. I’m still thinking about it, but it does a goodly number of things right. And, as C said, it feels like the people making it cared.
Plus, beautiful ’70s homage eye candy set dressing.
Ooo, now I can’t wait to go see it. Thanks for the enticing commentary about it. Maybe tomorrow night for me. 🙂
I have to admit, I wasn’t too terribly impressed with “The Prestige,” finding it disappointing in some of the same ways (and some different ways) than Christopher Priest’s original novel. But I genuinely enjoyed “Stranger Than Fiction.” You’re right that it isn’t a comedy, at least in the way it seems to be in the trailer, but I think it’s one of my favorite films from this past year.
Saw it this weekend and loved it. I wonder, though, if it has much appeal beyond writers and those interested in writers.
Bakers might like it, too. Writers who bake (or vice versa) will probably love it.
IRS agents…well, maybe not so much…
Just saw this tonight, and liked it very much. It does mine some of the same material as something like “Adaptation” without being as off-putting (not a diss on “Adaptation,” BTW, but the two films come from different directions).
Weird how the city it took place in was so indeterminate; the busses looked like CTA busses, and at one point Ferrell was definitely in the Dearborn/State transfer tunnel. But other parts of the film didn’t look at all like Chicago. I wonder if it was filmed in multiple cities.
On a totally superficial note, this was the first time I ever looked at Maggie Gyllenhall and thought, “Dayum.” I think it was the fake tattoo . . .
I’m afraid Mr. Rowe’s going to be mad at you for saying such things about his imaginary girlfriend.
I loved the look actually — definitely intentionally anonymous. Chicago would make sense. To me Chicago is very much what I thought of when I was a kid and pictured City.