Stranger Than Fiction
We went to see Stranger Than Fiction today. I must say, off hand, this is the best film I’ve seen this year. I need to go back and review my notes on everything else I’ve seen for a more complete comparison, but regardless, this is a good film. I left with a feeling that is hard to describe, but it was sort of a joyful, introspective daze. I really liked this film. It just works on so many levels. The mis-en-scene was well thought out. The trailers I had seen completely misrepresent the genre that this is really in and I suppose it makes for a more interesting experience in that you learn that it’s not the genre you were expecting walking in. That said, don’t read on as it may spoil the experience for you. Otherwise, if you don’t care, read away.
So, the first bit of mis-en-scene than I noticed was the peculiar, ordered, and perfect emptiness of many scenes. In fact, it was more than just obviously artificial. It is not an over sight. It is very much intentional. This is available for multi-level interpretation and I’m sure there are more ways to look at it than I see. Thinking about it merely enhances the experience. To me it’s as if the muse comes forth. Also, the casting is outstanding. Each actor/actress projects their role well. All the characters are believable, even the quite fictional main character. I just can’t say enough times that I really liked this film. Go see it, rent it, buy it. It deserves financial return. We need more films like this coming out of Hollywood.
