#Questusreviewus #strangerthanfiction – Lindsey Senatore

I have to start off by saying, if you have never seen the film, “Stranger
Than Fiction,” you need to change that. To my knowledge, there is no
movie that is even comparable to it because the premise is so unique.

!!WARNING!! By continuing to read you will experience *SPOILERS*

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Okay, so I hope those of you left are either people who have already
seen the movie or people who just enjoy spoilers (do those kind of
people exist…?)

Moving forward… Who is Harold Crick? When the movie began, we
see him hearing a voice. We are left to wonder for a bit whether he
has schizophrenia or if there is something fantasy-like going on. We
quickly find out that it is the latter. Karen Eiffel, an author in the film,
was writing a novel with a main character, “Harold Crick.”
Unbeknownst to her, she was writing about a real-life person and
everything she was writing about him, came to be! Harold, however,
did not discover this as early as we (the viewers) we told. This caused
him to panic and seek to discover some answers. Why was he so
panicked? Well! He noticed that everything the voice said, was
happening! This made him super terrified when the voice mentioned is
upcoming imminent death!

His search for answers involved a visit with a psychiatrist, a literal
professor, and eventually to Karen (after recognizing her voice and
seeking her down). He explains everything to her and then she
changes the ending to her story in a way that avoids his death.

I urge you all so much to see this movie because it brings attention to the narrator of movies, a role that is so often overlooked. In movies that have narrators, they are one of the main characters but we never wonder “who is this?” or “how do they know this?” Instead, we accept it and don’t give it any thought. Stranger than Fiction, caught us off guard when breaking a type of fourth-wall by bringing attention to this narrator. The character should never hear the narrator, so we are all like, “Woah, what is happening?”

Once we learn it is an author speaking, it only raises more questions! When did she begin writing
about Harold and why is he just now hearing her? Does he have the power to not do something
she says? If he doesn’t have the power, then is she like an all-powerful “God” figure? When she
says ways Anna reacts to Harold, does Anna make these choices herself or does Karen control
her too? Has all of Karen’s past novels affected real-life people as well? HOW IS ANY OF THIS
POSSIBLE?

We know it’s fantasy, but the realist/logical side of all of us cannot help but want ANSWERS…
NOW.

Unfortunately, none of these answers came. I believe this was intentional, rather than a “hole”/
mistake by the writers. The best fantasy has to leave room for the viewers to add on to it and
IMAGINE. Answers aren’t fun because answers put an end to the awe and wonder the curiosity
brings.

All in all, this movie is unique and well-done. It’s an incredibly fun concept to ponder.

So I will leave you with one thing to think about…

What would you do if you woke up tomorrow and suddenly a voice was narrating your every
move?